About Midwifery

What Is a Certified Nurse-Midwife?

A certified nurse-midwife (CNM) is a registered nurse who has completed advanced education to provide specialized health care to women regarding:

• pregnancy
• childbirth
• the postpartum period
• care of the newborn
• family planning
• gynecological care
• primary care

Certified nurse-midwives prescribe drugs and order diagnostic and laboratory tests.

Education

Certified nurse-midwives in Kansas and Missouri possess:

• graduate education from a pre-accredited or accredited university
• a state board of nursing license
• passing results from a rigorous national exam conducted by the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB)
• continuing competency to practice as an advanced practice nurse, dually recognized by Kansas and Missouri state boards of nursing

Outcomes

According to "Nurse-Midwifery in 2008: Evidence-Based Practice" (American College of Nurse-Midwives, 2008), which is a summary of research on midwifery practice in our country, care provided by certified nurse-midwives results in:

• decreased infant and neonatal mortality
• increased patient satisfaction
• increased spontaneous vaginal delivery rates
• decreased claims against obstetric care providers
• lower costs (1-9)

Approximately 11% of all spontaneous vaginal births and 7% of all births are attended by certified nurse-midwivers (National Center for Health Statistics, 2007).

Approximately 97% of CNM-attended births occur in hospitals, 2% in freestanding birth centers and 1% at home (ACNM, 2008).