NurseMidwife
A nurse-midwife is a registered nurse who has completed advanced education in midwifery and provides comprehensive maternity care. They support women through pregnancy, labor, birth, and the postpartum period, and often offer well-woman care and contraception. Practice settings include hospitals, birth centers, and, where permitted, home birth.
In the United States, the primary credential is Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM). CNMs hold graduate degrees in
Scope of practice generally covers prenatal care, management of normal labor and birth, postpartum care, newborn
Settings vary from hospital labor and delivery units to freestanding birth centers and home birth programs.
The nurse-midwife role emerged in the 20th century to expand access to maternity care. Regulation, scope of
Related topics include midwifery, obstetrics, and the CNM credential.