Ruth Faro, CNM, MS

Bio

When I was 11 years old, I witnessed my first birth and I thought it was the most amazing experience! The baby was delivered by a Certified Nurse Midwife and as a result of this experience, I became captivated by the birthing process. In my early twenties, I had two children of my own and had very different experiences with respect to nursing and other health care providers. Very shortly after the birth of my second daughter, I began my nursing studies with the intent of becoming a Certified Nurse Midwife.

Upon graduating from nursing school, I worked for approximately four years as a Labor and Delivery nurse and then became a Nursing Supervisor at a birthing unit in Sacramento. During my time as a Nursing Supervisor, I attended midwifery school at Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing in Kentucky. I did my clinical training at Kaiser Permanente, South Sacramento, under the supervision of the facility's Certified Nurse Midwives and Nurse Practitioners. During this time, I also completed my Masters Degree in Nursing at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio.

I've been working as a Certified Nurse Midwife at Kaiser Permanente since 2001, and I have found it a wonderful environment in which to work. The team approach and support of the midwives makes my work enjoyable and fulfilling. I especially enjoy working with teen moms and their families. I transferred from the South Sacramento Kaiser to Santa Rosa in February of 2007.

As a Certified Nurse Midwife, I am certified through the American College of Nurse-Midwives. I independently manage the care of, and give advice to, women during pregnancy, labor and delivery, and the postpartum period. This care includes recommending and implementing preventative measures, identifying abnormal conditions in the mother and child, and seeking medical assistance when indicated. I have a responsibility to provide health education and counseling on topics such as family planning, breast feeding, and prenatal education. I also have extended training to perform as a first-assistant for cesarean sections. I practice within a health care system that provides for consultation, collaborative management, or referral as needed by the status of each patient.

I believe that every woman has the right and responsibility to make decisions regarding her pregnancy, labor, and birth. My role is to explain the different options, and the risks and benefits of each, so that each woman can make an informed decision. Most of the time, pregnancy is a normal and healthy event. I work to promote this, while staying alert to the possible complications that can arise.

Please navigate through my home page. You can click on the women's health links to access various research, education, information, and programs developed by Kaiser Permanente to improve and promote women's health. The Prenatal Questionnaires are also available to be printed out and completed prior to your first prenatal visit.

My Medical Specialty

More details about my specialty:

I chose to be a nurse midwife because I love to care for women during one of the meaningful and important times of their lives. Every birth experience is different and every day at work brings variety. I believe I have one of the best jobs possible.

My specialty interests and affiliations within my field:

I especially enjoy taking care of teens, probably because I was a young mom. I also try to stay current in my field by reading the most resent research and participating in continuing education classes.

An interesting story from my training:

The first birth I ever witnessed was when I was a child and a close friend of the family had her baby. The midwife that delivered her daughter later became one of the midwives that trained me when I was in school. That first delivery was when I found out what an amazing process childbirth is and I wanted to be part of it. It just shows that you never know who you may be making a big influence on!

Interests

Currently reading:
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

My favorite book or author:
My favorite author is Jodi Picoult

Great movie:
Life is Beautiful

Hobby Photos & Links:

Best place to purchase audible books from for MP3 players.

Family & Friends

My children and people I care about:

I feel very fortunate to have a career I love so much, as well as a family that brings me a great deal of joy. Outside of work, I stay busy with my two daughters ages 17 and 19, and my seven year old son. I'm finding that raising teenagers is one my biggest challenges. I welcome any suggestions!

My son has a one year old Chinese Box Turtle named Boxer. Boxer is a cruious and sweet little pet.

Travel

An adventure I've had:

Becoming a pilot.