About Marina Alzugaray, MS CNM

Midwife Marina Alzugaray has been involved in women's health and community based midwifery since the early 70's. She is experienced with holistic health care, and home birth, birth center and hospital services. She is an international speaker, known as a pioneer of Waterbirths, and developer of American AquaNatal, a prenatal water exercise and educational program.

Marina has a Bachelor in Health Science from Antioch University Santa Barbara, California, and a Master's of Science in Nursing; Midwifery Leadership from the University of California, San Francisco, UCSF. Her research includes home births outcomes, water birth, human dolphin interaction, women's cycles, and the 'Birth Dance' second stage position and related outcomes for which she was given a UCSF Chancellor's award in 1994. 

Marina is the founder of Comadres Institute. She facilitates Comadres Educational Retreats, leads deep rituals of empowerment for women, and develops programs for the Institute based on her Midwifery experience in collaboration with advisors and practitioners of holistic health. She teaches American AquaNatal classes and trains Instructors in the method. Marina is a consultant for maternal health care services and has produced a video on the Use of Water for Labor and Birth. Born in Cuba, she is fluent in Spanish and incorporates drumming and dance in some of her presentations.

Marina serves as a bridge between the services offered to women by the medical and the midwifery model of care. Marina believes that empowering health and healing experiences can be facilitated for all women, and strives to narrow the gap between health care modalities. This is reflected in the courses provided by Comadres Institute and is at the core of how the science and art of Midwifery promotes women oriented holistic health care.

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