IV 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1182 
Recognizing the roles and the contributions of America’s certified nurse- 
midwives and certified midwives in providing high-quality, evidence-based, 
cost-effective, and essential sexual and reproductive health care services 
to women and pregnant people. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 6, 2020 
Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the roles and the contributions of America’s 
certified nurse-midwives and certified midwives in pro-
viding high-quality, evidence-based, cost-effective, and es-
sential sexual and reproductive health care services to 
women and pregnant people. 
Whereas certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and certified mid-
wives (CMs) are essential to America’s maternal health 
care system, providing a wide range of sexual and repro-
ductive health care services for people, including the inde-
pendent provision of primary care, gynecologic and con-
traceptive services, preconception care, care during preg-
nancy, childbirth and the postpartum period, and care of 
the normal newborn during the first 28 days of life; 
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Whereas CNMs and CMs care for people throughout their 
lifespan, from adolescence to beyond menopause, and at-
tend approximately 10 percent of our Nation’s births an-
nually and serve as frontline essential health care pro-
viders during the COVID–19 pandemic; 
Whereas midwives and midwifery-led care is evidence-based 
and has been shown to reduce maternal and neonatal 
mortality, rates of stillbirth, perineal trauma, instru-
mental births, intrapartum analgesia use, rates of severe 
blood loss, preterm birth, low birth weight, and neonatal 
hypothermia, and has furthermore been associated with 
more efficient use of resources and improved outcomes 
including increased rates of spontaneous labor, vaginal 
birth, and breastfeeding; 
Whereas women and pregnant people who receive midwifery 
care have higher rates of satisfaction with their mid-
wifery-led health care, pain relief in labor, and maternal- 
newborn interaction; 
Whereas CNMs and CMs play an integral role in improving 
health outcomes for all women, pregnant people, and 
newborns in their communities; 
Whereas midwifery care is associated with decreased preg-
nancy-related racial and ethnic health disparities and the 
profession of midwifery in the African-American commu-
nity has a rich history dating back centuries; 
Whereas Black, indigenous, and people of color CNMs and 
CMs play an integral role in improving health outcomes 
for women, pregnant people, and newborns in their com-
munities; 
Whereas midwifery is a significant source of maternal health 
services in rural, underserved, and low-resource urban 
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areas, and CNMs and CMs attend over 30 percent of de-
liveries in rural hospitals; 
Whereas CNMs and CMs provide care in every setting in 
which sexual and reproductive health care services are de-
livered, including hospitals, private office practices, public 
health departments, community health centers, the 
Armed Forces, the Veterans Health Administration, the 
Indian Health Service, freestanding birth centers, and in 
the home setting; 
Whereas 2020 has been designated by the World Health Or-
ganization as the International Year of the Nurse and 
the Midwife; 
Whereas, in 1982, Congress passed a resolution designating 
April 19 through 26 as the first National Nurse-Mid-
wifery Week, and the week continued to be observed in 
April until 1986 when the observance moved to Novem-
ber 2 through 8; 
Whereas, since 1988, National Midwifery Week has been cele-
brated during the last week of September or the first 
week of October in order to raise public awareness of and 
celebrate the Nation’s 13,000 certified nurse-midwives, 
certified midwives, and student midwives; and 
Whereas the celebration of National Midwifery Week 2020 is 
October 4 through October 10: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, 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, 
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cost-effective, and essential sexual and reproductive 
health care services to women and pregnant people; 
(3) thanks and promotes the profession of mid-
wifery as practiced by certified nurse-midwives and 
certified midwives; and 
(4) encourages consumers, hospital administra-
tors, health care professionals, 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 Na-
tional Midwifery Week. 
Æ 
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