Recognizing the roles and the contributions of United States certified nurse-midwives and certified midwives in providing high-quality, evidence-based, and cost-effective health care services to women and childbearing families.

Whereas certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and certified midwives (CMs) are essential to the United States maternal health care system, providing a wide-range of health care services for women and childbearing families, including the independent provision of primary care, gynecologic services, preconception care, care during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period, and care of the uncomplicated newborn during the first 28 days of life; Whereas CNMs and CMs care for women throughout their lifespan, from adolescence to post menopause, and attend approximately 10 percent of our Nation’s births annually and serve as frontline essential health care providers; Whereas midwifery-led care is evidence-based and has been shown to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality, rates of stillbirth, perineal trauma, instrumental births, intrapartum analgesia use, rates of severe blood loss, preterm birth, low birth weight, and neonatal hypothermia, and has been associated with more efficient use of resources and improved outcomes including increased rates of spontaneous labor, vaginal birth, and breastfeeding; Whereas women and childbearing families who receive midwifery-led care have higher rates of satisfaction, pain relief in labor, and supported maternal-newborn interaction; Whereas CNMs and CMs play an integral role in improving health outcomes in all communities; Whereas midwifery-led care is a significant source of maternal health services in rural, underserved and low-resourced and vulnerable communities, and CNMs and CMs attend over 30 percent of deliveries in rural hospitals; Whereas CNMs and CMs provide care in every setting in which maternal and women’s health care services are delivered, including hospitals, private office practices, public health departments, community health centers, rural health centers, the Armed Forces, the Veterans Health Administration, the Indian Health Service, freestanding birth centers, and in the home setting; and Whereas since 1988, National Midwifery Week has been celebrated during the last week of September or the first week of October in order to raise public awareness of and celebrate the Nation’s more than 13,000 certified nurse-midwives, certified midwives, and student midwives; and Whereas, the celebration of National Midwifery Week 2022 is October 2 through October 8: Now, therefore, be it That the House of Representatives— (1) acknowledges the celebration of National Midwifery Week; (2) recognizes the roles and the contributions of America’s certified nurse-midwives and certified midwives in providing high-quality, evidence-based, and cost-effective health care services to women and childbearing families; (3) thanks and promotes the profession of midwifery as practiced by certified nurse-midwives and certified midwives; and (4) encourages consumers, hospital administrators, health care professionals, health educators, policymakers, and others to become more familiar with the certified nurse-midwife and certified midwife credential and the exceptional people who have earned it and are currently studying to earn it by participating in National Midwifery Week.

Summary: This resolution recognizes National Midwifery Week and the contributions of certified nurse-midwives and certified midwives.