Ozarks Healthcare is advancing Women’s Health services with the introduction of midwifery care, expanding access to contemporary, patient-centered, and holistic pregnancy care rooted in education, empowerment, and choice.
Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) Tabitha Young and Shelley Mitchell will lead the new program, providing collaborative care alongside Ozarks Healthcare’s obstetrics physicians to ensure safe, comprehensive support for mothers and babies throughout pregnancy, labor, and postpartum care.
Young brings extensive experience in maternal and newborn care, including work in neonatal intensive care, labor and delivery, and lactation services. She earned her Associate of Science in Nursing from Missouri State University in May 2010, her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Western Governors University in March 2022, and her Master of Science in Midwifery from Frontier Nursing University in Versailles, Kentucky, in September 2025. After returning to the Ozarks in 2019, she joined Ozarks Healthcare as a labor and delivery nurse before pursuing her passion for midwifery.
“I love education and empowering patients to make informed decisions about their care,” Young said. “As a midwife, I have the opportunity to build trust over nine months and support women through one of the most important times in their lives.”
Mitchell brings a strong background in women’s health and labor and delivery care, along with advanced academic and clinical training as a certified nurse midwife. She earned her Master of Science in Midwifery from Frontier Nursing University in Versailles, Kentucky, following her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Central Methodist University in Fayette, Missouri, and her Associate of Science in Nursing from Three Rivers College in Poplar Bluff, Missouri.
Her path into midwifery began after a personal labor and delivery experience that inspired her passion for supporting women through pregnancy and birth.
“I think pregnancy is amazing and miraculous every single time,” Mitchell said. “What excites me most about midwifery is education – helping women understand what is happening in their bodies, what to expect, and how to feel confident throughout their pregnancy and birth experience.”
The midwifery program at Ozarks Healthcare is designed to reflect a modern model of women’s healthcare: one that prioritizes time, education, individualized support, and true shared decision-making. Visits are intentionally structured to allow patients to ask questions, explore options, and build meaningful relationships with their care team.
“I feel like prenatal care is a team effort between the provider and the patient,” Mitchell said. “I want patients to feel heard and supported, and I want them to have the birth experience they want, as long as it is safe for mom and baby.”
The program will operate under a collaborative care model, where certified nurse midwives work closely with obstetric physicians to ensure patients receive the appropriate level of care at every stage. Deliveries will take place at Ozarks Healthcare, combining the personalized, relationship-based approach of midwifery with the safety, technology, and resources of a full-service hospital.
“When people hear ‘midwife,’ they sometimes think of home births,” Young said. “That’s not what we do. We are certified nurse midwives who provide care in the hospital, working alongside physicians to make sure patients receive the care they need when they need it. This program gives patients another choice for their pregnancy care. Our goal is to provide supportive, patient-centered care while working closely with our physicians to ensure the best possible outcomes for moms and babies.”
Many families choose midwifery care because it emphasizes a holistic, patient-centered approach that supports physical, emotional, and mental well-being while encouraging active participation in the birth experience. Both midwives and obstetricians are deeply committed to providing safe, compassionate, and high-quality care.
Research published through the National Library of Medicine and other peer-reviewed journals shows that midwife-led care for low-risk pregnancies is associated with lower rates of certain interventions, such as cesarean sections and inductions, without compromising safety. Organizations like the American College of Nurse-Midwives also highlight the continuous, hands-on support midwives often provide during labor and the strong relationships they build with patients throughout pregnancy and postpartum care.
Beyond pregnancy and childbirth care, certified nurse midwives also serve as primary women’s health providers, offering preventive and ongoing care across the lifespan. This includes annual well-woman exams, birth control management, routine screenings, and ordering preventive services such as Pap smears, mammograms, and other age-appropriate health screenings.
Midwives at Ozarks Healthcare Women’s Health are seeing new patients. For more information, contact the Ozarks Healthcare Women’s Health Clinic at 417-256-1838 or visit www.ozarkshealthcare.com/services/womens.
