A Cherokee County, Georgia jury convicted 64-year-old Cynthia “Cindy” Rene Morrow on all nine counts she faced Wednesday, including practicing medicine and nursing without a license and unlawful practice of midwifery. During a 2022 home birth in Woodstock, prosecutors said Morrow administered Pitocin, IV fluids and a catheter and performed a manual uterine procedure she wasn’t licensed for. The mother suffered a severe postpartum hemorrhage, lost roughly half her blood and was in hypovolemic shock before Morrow called 911 for a non-emergency transport. Medical experts testified she should have been hospitalized at least five hours earlier. Doctors ultimately saved the woman with blood transfusions and emergency surgery, and two other former clients testified about similar experiences.
For families across the Suncoast thinking about a home birth, the case raises practical questions. Licensed midwives in Florida are credentialed through the state, and their license status and any disciplinary history can be checked through the Florida Department of Health’s online verification tool. Asking a provider directly for their license number, and following up with the state, takes only a few minutes.
Sentencing for Morrow is set for November 10th. If you’re expecting or helping someone who is, the takeaway is simple: trust is good, verification is better, and any legitimate birth professional will welcome the question.
Have you ever checked a provider’s license before a major life event? Tell us in the comments.
