What are certified nurse-midwives and certified midwives?

Certified nurse midwives are registered nurses who have a bachelor's degree in nursing and a master's degree in midwifery.  Midwifery is the study and practice of normal obstetrics, labor, and delivery.  In my practice, we have four certified nurse midwives.  They see healthy, low-risk pregnant patients on a daily basis as well as help with deliveries.  My midwives are very capable of managing a patient in labor and delivering the baby. At times they even use a vacuum suction device to help with a vaginal delivery.  Most midwives are very comfortable and very self-sufficient but use M.D. obstetricians as backup in case there is a need for a cesarean section or other complications that arise in the obstetrics arena.  If one has a very healthy and low-risk pregnancy, I think it is  appropriate to seek care by a certified nurse midwife.

Certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) are educated in the two disciplines of nursing and midwifery. Certified midwives (CMs) are educated only in midwifery. Both CNMs and CMs are specialists in both natural childbirth and well-woman care, which includes gynecological checkups, pelvic and breast exams, Pap smears, and family planning services. CNMs are registered nurses who earn a master's degree in an accredited nurse midwifery program. CMs complete an accredited midwifery program that also provides a master's degree and pass the same national certifying exam. There are relatively few CMs compared to CNMS in the United States.