Midwives are the experts in normal birth and are the safest birth attendants for healthy women with healthy pregnancies — about 85% of all women. Throughout most of human history and in most of the world today, midwives attend the majority of births. All of the many countries with better outcomes than ours use midwives for most births.
Midwives generally spend more time with women during pregnancy and birth and provide more individualized care. They work with women and their partners to provide education about nutrition and healthy pregnancy, and typically are with women during more of the labor to provide more hands-on support to women and their families.
More About Midwives
- Midwives Model of Care at Citizens for Midwifery
- Art of the Midwife at Mothers Naturally
- What is a Midwife at Our Moment of Truth
- Midwives for Maternity Care at Childbirth Connection
- Midwife-led care versus other models from Cochrane Collaboration
Finding Midwives
- Find a Midwife from American College of Nurse Midwives
- Finding a Midwife at Citizens for Midwifery
- Find a Midwife from Mothers Naturally
- Directory of Midwives from Homebirth Midwives of New York
Professional Associations for Midwives
- Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA) — All Midwives
- American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM) — Certified Nurse Midwives and Certified Midwives
- National Association of Certified Professional Midwives (NACPM) — Certified Professional Midwives
- New York Association of Licensed Midwives (NYSALM)
Midwifery Education and Certification Organizations
Midwifery Profession
- Professional Standards from MANA
- Become a Midwife from MANA
- Legal Status from MANA
- Position Statements from MANA
Certified Nurse Midwives and Certified Midwives:
- Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME)
- American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB)
Certified Professional Midwives