What is a Midwife?
Lauren Coin
| 3 min read
Lauren Coin is a summer 2025 Corporate Communication...
Medically reviewed by Cheryl Gibson-Fountain, M.D.
Key Takeaways
- Midwives are increasingly providing additional care during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum periods.
- Depending on their training, midwives can help with prenatal appointments, maternal and newborn care and family planning.
- Midwives are recommended for low-risk pregnancies and may not be suitable for high-risk pregnancies or those requiring medical or surgical interventions, which are typically managed by OB/GYNs.
A growing number of women are choosing to have births attended by midwives in recent years, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. In 2021, midwives attended 12% of births in the United States.
It’s important to understand what midwives do and how they differ from doctors and OB/GYNs to assess if they will meet your pregnancy needs.
What do midwives do?
Midwives are healthcare providers who provide comprehensive, holistic care during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. According to the Cleveland Clinic, people who wish to give birth at home or want a nonmedicated birth more often choose midwives.
Midwives can practice in homes, private birthing centers or as part of the labor and delivery team at hospitals, according to the American Pregnancy Association.
They can provide a wide range of services depending on their certifications and licensing credentials. Per the Cleveland Clinic, some health services midwives may provide include:
- Routine reproductive care, such as pelvic exams or Pap tests
- Ultrasounds and prenatal appointments
- Attending to birth and newborn care
- Postpartum care
- Education on reproductive health
- Family planning
Different types of midwives
There are multiple types of midwives who can provide a varied number of services. Typically, certified nurse midwives and certified midwives can offer the most care.
A certified nurse midwife (CNM) has completed nursing school and has a graduate degree in midwifery. They are certified by the American Midwifery Certification Board and can practice in all 50 states. In addition to the previous health services listed, they can also prescribe medications, order lab tests and diagnose conditions, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
A certified midwife (CM) has a master’s degree in midwifery but has an undergraduate degree in something other than nursing. They are certified by the American Midwifery Certification Board but can only practice in a few states. CMs can prescribe medications, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
A certified professional midwife (CPM) has been trained in midwifery and is certified by the North American Registry of Midwives. They cannot practice in all states or prescribe medications. They typically work in birth centers or homes.
How are midwives different from doctors?
Midwives are not medical doctors or OB/GYNs; however, some may earn doctorates in nursing practice. While OB/GYNs and midwives can both provide gynecologic and pregnancy care, they differ in approaches and training, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Midwives are typically trained to assist those who have low-risk pregnancies. They do not perform Cesarean deliveries (C-Sections).
OB/GYNs are trained to manage high-risk pregnancies and delivery complications using medical or surgical interventions that aren’t available to midwives, per the Cleveland Clinic.
How do I know if a midwife is right for me?
Midwives are generally recommended when your pregnancy is low-risk or if you only experience mild complications. Talk with your primary care provider (PCP) to determine if a midwife is right for you and your pregnancy.
Photo credit: Getty Images
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