Choosing a certified nurse-midwife  Reviewed by the BabyCenter
Medical Advisory Board  What is a certified nurse-midwife?
Certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) provide a full range of primary
healthcare services to women in the United States, including
routine gynecological checkups, family planning services,
preconception care, prenatal and postpartum care, and, of
course, delivering babies. They attend births mostly in
hospitals, but also in birth centers and private homes.   Giving
birth with a midwife  Find out how a midwife helps a woman
through pregnancy, labor, and birth.  CNMs are trained in both
nursing and midwifery and are certified by the American College
of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM). To be certified, a CNM must be
formally educated in midwifery through an accredited program
affiliated with an institution of higher learning, demonstrate
clinical competence, and pass a rigorous national certifying
exam. CNMs are licensed to practice in all 50 states, the
District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.  Most midwives