A midwife is a professional care provider for both mothers and infants.

He/she possesses the expertise and skills needed to support women and help them during pregnancy, labor, delivery, optimal births and also their recovery during the postpartum period.

Types of licensed midwives:

There are different levels of midwives based on their training. These are ;

1. Certified nurse-midwives (CNMs)
2. Certified midwives (CMs)
3. Certified professional midwives (CPMs)
4. Lay midwives

• Certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) are registered nurses who have graduated from an accredited nurse-midwifery education program and have passed a national exam.

Particularly in the US, they must have received their American Midwifery Certification Board certification before they can practice.

CNMs provide general women’s health care throughout a woman’s lifespan and their services include general health check-ups and physical examination, pregnancy, birth postpartum care and treatment of sexually transmitted infections.

• Certified midwives (CMs) are midwives with a bachelor’s degree in a field other than nursing who have graduated from a graduate-level midwifery education program.

The midwifery education program for CMs includes health-related skills and training in addition to midwifery education, which is related to CNMs

• Certified professional midwives (CPMs) are non-nurse midwives who have training and clinical experience in childbirth, including childbirth outside of the hospital and they have passed a national exam.

The health care services provided by CPMs are not as broad as those of CNMs and CMs, such services are related to pregnancy, birth, and postpartum care for women outside of the hospital—often in birth centers and homes.

NOTE: CPMs are not able to prescribe most medications.

• Lay midwives are not certified or licensed but have apprenticed or received informal training. 

These midwives may or may not have formal education and have not passed a national certification exam so they may or may not be licensed.

Their services are usually focused on pregnancy and birth and they are unable to prescribe most medications as well.

Functions or duties of midwives

Midwives provide care before, during, or after your pregnancy.

Some of their duties include:

• Provide family planning and preconception care
• Conduct prenatal exams and order tests
• Observe your physical and psychological health
• Help you create birth plans
• Advise you about diet, exercise, meds, and staying healthy
• Educate and counsel you about pregnancy, childbirth, and newborn care
• Give you emotional and practical support during labor
• Admit and discharge you from the hospital
• Deliver your babies
• Make referrals to doctors when needed