What is a Midwife?

The certified nurse-midwives (CNM) at CT Coastal OB/Gyn practice both independently and collaboratively with obstetrician-gynecologists in order to provide safe, satisfying, highly personalized care to women. We encourage you to meet all the midwives during your pregnancy.

A CNM specializes in care of women across the lifespan. This includes independent provision of gynecologic and family planning services, prenatal care, care during labor, birth, and postpartum.

CNMs perform physical exams, make diagnoses, and order and interpret lab and diagnostic tests. They also prescribe medications, including medications for contraception and contraceptive medical devices. The CNMs at CT Coastal OB/Gyn have YNHH privileges to admit, manage, and discharge patients.

CNMs earn a graduate degree that includes training in nursing and midwifery. This degree qualifies them to sit for the national board exam administered by the American Midwifery Certification Board. Board certification allows them to use the professional designation of CNM.

To learn more about midwifery care for your pregnancy and gynecologic care, please visit ourmomentoftruth.com.

Meet Our Midwives

Tracy Wittreich, CNM, MSN

Tracy Wittreich, CNM, has been with Coastal Connecticut for almost 40 years, having earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and continuing on to earn her Master’s degree from Yale University1980. Before Tracy became a midwife, she worked at Georgetown Hospital and Yale-New Haven Hospital as a neonatal intensive care nurse. Ms. Wittreich is also a clinical instructor at the Yale University School of Nursing, is certified by the American College of Nurse-Midwives, a member of Sigma Theta Tau National Nursing Honor Society, the New Haven Obstetrical Society and the American College of Nurse-Midwives. Outside of the office, Tracy is an ardent supporter of the March of Dimes. She is the captain of “Tracy’s Team,” which walks for the nonprofit group, March for Babies, every year and for the past six years, she’s honored to be the top New Haven-area walker.

Melissa Gregorio, CNM, MSN

Melissa Gregorio joined Connecticut Coastal OB/GYN in February 2013 after obtaining her BSN from Fairfield University and MSN with a specialty in Midwifery from Columbia University. Prior to joining the team, Melissa worked as a Registered Nurse in the Emergency Department and Family Birthing Center at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport, CT. Having extensive experience in Emergency Medicine, Melissa knew she wanted to work alongside physicians in a large hospital setting where she could provide compassionate care to all her patients, regardless of their medical backgrounds. Melissa is a Yale and Fairfield University midwifery student preceptor, and a childbirth educator for The Parent Collective. When she’s not at work, Melissa enjoys spending time with her family and reading a good mystery novel.

Kirsten Asmus, CNM, MSN

Kirsten Asmus has been a nurse-midwife for more than 20 years, joining Obstetrics-Gynecology & Infertility Group, P.C. in 2017. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Connecticut in 1990, and a Master of Science in Nursing and Nurse-Midwifery at the Yale University School of Nursing in 1998. She has provided full-scope care in a variety of settings, including working for OB/GYN and Infertility Group on the labor floor from 2005 to 2012. For Kirsten, midwifery care is grounded in current science and begins with the formation of trusting and respectful relationships with women and their families. In addition, Kirsten has taught nursing and midwifery on the graduate level and has been a preceptor for many student nurse midwives.

Jemine Wayman, CNM, MSN

Jemine Wayman earned her B.S. in Nursing at Delaware State University, her M.S. in Nursing at Wesley College, and a Graduate Certificate in Midwifery from University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. She loves empowering women through providing care, education, and support and is dedicated to integrity and good clinical judgement. Aside from her day-to-day, some of Jemine’s interests include feeding the hungry, coat drives in the winter months, and providing school supplies. She has also volunteered at local elementary schools and is a child mentor involved with initiating a teenage pregnancy prevention program.

Diana Fitzgerald, CNM, MSN

Diana Fitzgerald, CNM, MSN comes to Connecticut Coastal Ob/Gyn after relocating from Syracuse, NY where she has provided care to women and their families for more than 25 years. After working as a Labor and Delivery Nurse for more than 10 years, Diana became a Midwife in 2006 with a Masters degree from SUNY Stonybrook. Diana has experience with global healthcare and education and is passionate about multi-cultural care. She also enjoys caring for adolescent young women.

Diana believes in the bridging of integrative holistic care with Western medicine to provide women with an individualized approach to their care. She enjoys yoga, and is registered as a teacher with Yoga Alliance. In her free time, she loves enjoying nature while hiking and camping.