In the United States, September 29^th through October 5^th is National Midwifery Week.  This recognition week was created by the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) in order to celebrate and recognize midwives and midwife-led care. The 2019 theme is "Midwifery is the Answer!"

Midwifery care is the most appropriate type of perinatal care for healthy, low-risk pregnant people.  Whether a family chooses to birth in the hospital or have a community birth, midwifery care supports a healthy physiological birth and offers excellent outcomes for those who choose to receive their obstetrical care from a midwife.

Facts about midwifery care offered under the CNM/CM credential

• According to the American Midwifery Certification Board, as of February 2019, there were 12,218 Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs) and 102 Certified Midwives (CMs). The majority of midwives in the United States are CNMs.
• In 2017, CNMs/CMs attended 351,968 births—a slight increase compared to 2016. In 2017, CNMs/CMs attended 85% of all midwife-attended births and 9.1% of total US births.
• CNMs are licensed, independent health care providers with prescriptive authority in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and USVI. CNMs are defined as primary care providers under federal law. — CMs are licensed, independent health care providers who have completed the same midwifery education as CNMs. CMs are authorized to practice in Delaware, Maine, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island. CMs have prescriptive authority in New York, Rhode Island, and Maine.
• While midwives are well-known for attending births, 53.3% of CNMs/CMs identify reproductive care and 33.1% identify primary care as main responsibilities in their full-time positions.
• In 2017, 94.1% of CNM/CM-attended births occurred in hospitals, 3.2% occurred in freestanding birth centers, and 2.6% occurred in homes.
• More than 50% of CNMs/CMs list physician practices or hospitals/medical centers as their principal employers.
•  Medicaid reimbursement for CNM care is mandatory in all states. Most Medicaid programs reimburse CNMs/CMs at 100% of physician rates. Medicare reimburses CNMs at 100%. The majority of states also mandate private insurance reimbursement for midwifery services.
• Standards for education and certification in midwifery are identical for CNMs and CMs. The Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME) is the official accrediting body for CNM/CM education programs. There are 38 ACME-accredited midwifery education programs in the United States.
• Approximately 82% of CNMs have a master’s degree. As of 2010, a graduate degree is required for entry to midwifery practice as a CNM/CM.  4.8% of CNMs have doctoral degrees, the highest proportion of all APRN groups.

Childbirth educators can help share information about midwives and the midwifery model of care with the families in their classes, especially if they offer an early pregnancy class.  It is possible to change providers at any point during a pregnancy if a family decides that midwifery care is a better fit for their family. You can point your students to ACNM’s guide “Is a Midwife Right for You?” to help them learn more.

Connecting the Dots and Lamaze International recognize the contributions of the many midwives here in the USA and around the world.  The efforts of these skilled and caring providers support healthy births, healthy families and evidence-based care for the families that they work with.

Source: ACNM Midwifery Fact Sheet

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