Midwives have been the primary caretakers of birthing women and their newborn babies throughout history. The oldest known reference to midwives can be found in the Old Testament in the book of Genesis. And it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said unto her, fear not. The certified nurse-midwives of today are health care professionals who specialize in the care of women throughout their life cycle as well as through pregnancy and birth.
Nurse midwives believe that birth is a normal, physiologic event that affects the whole family.
They believe that birth is best assisted by a supportive environment in which unnecessary interventions are minimized, and where the emotional and physical support of the mother is maximized. Currently, over 5,000 nurse midwives are practicing in the United States, and they deliver over 200,000 babies a year. Although most of the babies delivered by nurse-midwives are born in a hospital, midwives also attend births in birth centers and in the home. Some midwifery practices provide services in a combination of hospital, birth center and home-births. All nurse midwives are registered nurses who have completed rigorous, advanced training in one of 50 accredited schools, have successfully passed a national certification exam, maintain state licensure, and demonstrate continued competency through participation in continuing education.