38 States now license CPMs, we would like to add WV to this list of states working to improve maternal health care

Certified Professional Midwife, or CPM is a credential issued by the North American Registry of Midwives to midwives with specialized training and expertise in providing safe, skilled maternity care in out-of-hospital settings, like private homes and freestanding birth centers.

• The CPM certification includes a rigorous educational and training process generally requiring a minimum of 3-5 years to complete. This includes a verification of knowledge and skills through the successful completion of a national board exam along with a clinical skills assessment process.

• The CPM requires continuing education and peer review for re-certification every 3 years.

CPMs serve a disproportionate number of low-income, rural, immigrant, and uninsured families. Regulation and licensure of CPMs can help bridge large gaps in maternity care across West Virginia, ensuring there are enough well-trained midwives to meet the demand for out-of-hospital birth. CPMs can provide safe and affordable maternity care for underserved populations.

Licensure provides a mechanism for families seeking out-of-hospital birth to verify their midwife’s training, skills, and educational credentials. It protects and defends the rights of American families to birth in the environment of their choosing. Licensure ensures continuity of care between CPMs, CNMs, and physicians who collaborate to provide safe maternal and infant care.

CPM licensure will expand family-centered care offering individualized education, counseling, screening, and prenatal care. It will increase the number of providers who can give families continuous hands-on assistance during labor and delivery with minimal use of costly interventions. It will ensure that every family can choose their birth provider and setting based on their religious, cultural, and philosophical beliefs.

CPM Licensure creates a new pathway for small businesses to serve WV families. It presents a viable profession for our brightest young minds to pursue, one that is in keeping with a long tradition of community midwifery. It makes our state an attractive place for birth professionals to re-locate to, creating new economic opportunities.