Beginning Licensed Midwives may have difficulty finding a doctor willing to supervise their practice. Medical malpractice insurance may be hard to obtain. Midwives average between 40 and 50 deliveries per year. It is important to note that all business expenses, including medical malpractice insurance, must be paid out of gross earnings. No formal salary survey for Certified Nurse-Midwives is currently available.
Midwives are on call to attend deliveries which can happen at any hour, any day.
Prenatal examinations and checkups and follow-up after birth can be scheduled for normal work hours. Most CNMs employed by doctors, hospitals, or clinics receive paid vacation and sick leave, retirement benefits, and medical, dental, and vision insurance. Newcomers to the Licensed Midwife career will begin as apprentices to practicing Licensed Midwives until training programs are set up in California. Contact the California Association of Midwives for help in locating a practicing Licensed Midwife in your area. The American College of Certified Nurse-Midwives establishes the educational and training requirement for CNMs.