Matt Whittle has experience writing and editing accessible education-related content in health, technology, nursing and business subjects. His work has been featured on Sleep.org, Psychology.org and NurseJournal.org.
Matt Whittle Education WriterMatt Whittle has experience writing and editing accessible education-related content in health, technology, nursing and business subjects. His work has been featured on Sleep.org, Psychology.org and NurseJournal.org.
Written By Matt Whittle Education WriterMatt Whittle has experience writing and editing accessible education-related content in health, technology, nursing and business subjects. His work has been featured on Sleep.org, Psychology.org and NurseJournal.org.
Matt Whittle Education WriterMatt Whittle has experience writing and editing accessible education-related content in health, technology, nursing and business subjects. His work has been featured on Sleep.org, Psychology.org and NurseJournal.org.
Education Writer Brenna Swanston Deputy EditorBrenna Swanston is an education-focused editor and writer with a particular interest in education equity and alternative educational paths. As a newswriter in her early career, Brenna's education reporting earned national awards and state-level accol.
Brenna Swanston Deputy EditorBrenna Swanston is an education-focused editor and writer with a particular interest in education equity and alternative educational paths. As a newswriter in her early career, Brenna's education reporting earned national awards and state-level accol.
Brenna Swanston Deputy EditorBrenna Swanston is an education-focused editor and writer with a particular interest in education equity and alternative educational paths. As a newswriter in her early career, Brenna's education reporting earned national awards and state-level accol.
Brenna Swanston Deputy EditorBrenna Swanston is an education-focused editor and writer with a particular interest in education equity and alternative educational paths. As a newswriter in her early career, Brenna's education reporting earned national awards and state-level accol.
Updated: Jan 4, 2024, 1:25pm
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Midwives play a crucial role in the birthing process, providing guidance and care throughout pregnancies and after childbirth. Aspiring midwives may take various pathways toward this career in terms of education and credentials.
This guide provides a step-by-step approach to becoming a midwife. Individuals wondering how to become a midwife can use our research to inform their journey from student to healthcare professional.
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Midwives are medical professionals who provide care to patients before, during and after they give birth. Along with directly managing the birthing process and recommending other care services, these healthcare workers educate individuals on reproductive health.
An aspiring midwife can follow several avenues to this profession. Potential titles include certified midwife (CM), direct-entry midwife, lay midwife, certified professional midwife (CPM) and certified nurse-midwife (CNM). Some certifications are consistent across the U.S., while others vary among states. CNM certification is considered the industry standard for nurse-midwifery.
Before childbirth, midwives educate pregnant individuals on options for their delivery process to set a concrete plan for the day of the birth. A midwife provides physical exams throughout a patient’s pregnancy while monitoring the fetus’s health and growth process.
Midwives may assist in inducing labor or providing pain relief after labor begins. These healthcare workers also collaborate with physicians and doctors as necessary throughout pregnancy and childbirth.
After delivery and beyond, midwives continue to provide education and training in areas like self-care, postpartum care and breastfeeding. Depending on their certification level, midwives in some states may work without supervision in independent practices, where they can write prescriptions and order lab tests.
Midwives do not administer epidurals. Though midwives may order epidurals for people in labor, these pain relief methods are delivered by anesthesiologists or nurse anesthetists. Midwives also do not perform C-sections or provide care to individuals with high-risk pregnancies.
Midwives typically work in hospitals, birthing centers and healthcare clinics. Given the unpredictable nature of childbirth, these professionals may work atypical shifts and have to be on call during nights, weekends and holidays.
CNMs require more education and certification than other midwife professionals. The following section explores the requirements to become a midwife with certification.
Prospective CNMs can start their journey by pursuing a Bachelor of Science in nursing (B.S.N.). Midwifery concentrations typically appear at the master’s and doctoral levels. Still, aspiring certified midwives can use their B.S.N. electives to focus their undergraduate studies on areas like human anatomy, physiology, chemistry and microbiology. These courses may meet the prerequisites for graduate-level midwife programs.
A B.S.N. degree typically takes four years to complete. Students who already hold associate degrees in nursing or registered nurse (RN) licensure may pursue RN-to-B.S.N. bridge programs, which are usually shorter—just one to two years.
All CNM candidates must hold RN licensure, which they may earn before or after their B.S.N. We recommend earning a B.S.N. first since many RN employers now require nursing candidates to hold bachelor’s degrees.
Becoming an RN entails passing the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).
Graduate programs in nurse-midwifery typically require applicants to have completed some professional nursing experience to qualify for admission. This allows prospective CNMs to gain hands-on experience with foundational nursing practices.
Aspiring midwives who are gaining RN experience may consider working as OB-GYN nurses to become familiar with the specialization.
To become a certified nurse-midwife, you must earn a graduate-level nursing degree accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education. This degree may be a Master of Science in nursing (M.S.N.) or a Doctor of Nursing pPractice (D.N.P.) with a concentration in nurse-midwifery. Master’s in nursing programs usually take about 18 to 24 months to complete, though B.S.N.-to-M.S.N. bridge programs may be quicker. A D.N.P. degree may take three to four years.
The next step in becoming a Certified Nurse-Midwife is obtaining the formal credential. The American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB) administers the CNM designation, which involves a certification exam. Candidates must pass the CNM exam within 24 months of completing their graduate program, and AMCB recommends taking the exam as soon as possible after graduation.
Many healthcare institutions require practicing midwives to be CNMs.
Most states classify midwives as APRNs and require APRNs to seek special state licensure. Many states require aspiring midwives to obtain CNM certification before they can qualify for APRN licensure. Other common stipulations for APRN licensure include RN licensure and a graduate-level nursing degree, which CNM certification already requires.
Though the CNM certification is the industry standard for midwives, other midwife credentials—such as the CM and the CPM—also exist and apply different requirements.
For example, AMCB also administers the CM designation, which does not require RN licensure. CM candidates must still complete a graduate degree and pass a certification exam. However, only 10 jurisdictions currently recognize the CM certification.
CPM certification does not require an academic degree but does mandate the completion of an accredited midwifery program. Alternatively, the North American Registry of Midwives can grant the credential through a portfolio review. This status only applies in 35 states and Washington, D.C. CPMs typically assist in home births and work in dedicated birthing centers.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that CNMs earn a median annual salary of $125,900—about $80,000 more than the national median for all occupations. The BLS projects a steady employment growth rate of 6% for nurse midwives from 2022 to 2032.
