Career Summary

A certified nurse-midwife (CNM) is a registered nurse who has specialized in the practice of obstetrics, gynecologics, prenatal and postnatal care, and the delivery of newborns. They oversee the care of healthy women who want to have a baby, and help them through the pregnancy process.

Nurse midwives work either with an obstetrician or independently to aid women through pregnancy, and to take care of both mother and infant following birth. They practice mostly in hospitals and clinics, though they may occasionally attend to patients at home.

A nurse-midwife's work

Part of a nurse midwife's job is to recommend pregnancy exams and discuss the safety of any medications being taken. They can prescribe medication in most states, in addition to helping determine if immunizations are needed before becoming pregnant.

Another part of the CNM's responsibility is to allow the mother to decide to what degree medical technology will be involved in her birth, and provide the desired level of medical intervention. Some mothers may prefer more modern technological aid than others.

The practice of nurse midwifing is becoming increasingly popular in the US, as more families turn to midwives as a pregnancy option. Nurse midwives help ensure the health of the mother and infant during and after pregnancy, lowering the instance of  maternal and infant mortality, premature birth and low birth weight.

The growing interest in nurse-midwifery is believed to be because it is increasingly common for women choose to pursue a more natural birthing process. In recent years, the medical industry has changed its view of how to manage low-risk pregnancies. They recognize that pregnant women and their partners want to play a more active role than in the past.

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