Midwife is a person who helps women give birth. A midwife also gives care and advice during the patient’s pregnancy and after the baby is born. Midwives work in birthing centers, patients’ homes, and hospitals.
In the United States, trained midwives are called nurse-midwives. They are registered nurses who have been certified by the American College of Nurse-Midwives. Some states require nurse-midwives to have a special license. Other states allow them to practice under their nursing license.
Nurse-midwives emphasize that childbirth is a natural, normal process. They help the family have a safe and satisfying birth experience. Most nurse-midwives accept only patients who will probably have a normal delivery. However, they must be able to recognize signs of difficulty during childbirth. If necessary, a physician is called, or the patient is moved to a hospital.
Lay midwives have no formal training in midwifery. Traditionally, most lay midwives have worked in rural areas that have relatively few doctors. A few states license lay midwives, but lay midwifery is illegal in most states.
