What Are the Education Requirements to Become a Midwife?
A midwife is a professional who is engaged in the care of pregnant women and their babies. The midwifery profession is a time-honored tradition among women, but modern midwife practices are heavily regulated to ensure the best patient care. A midwife typically sees a pregnant woman many times throughout her pregnancy, and the midwife is present during the birth. Midwives help the mother cope with pain and deliver a healthy baby with emphasis on a natural delivery absent of heavy medical intervention.
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Direct Entry Midwives
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According to womenshealthchannel.com, there are two distinct groups of midwives recognized in the United States. DEMs, or direct entry midwives, are professionals who typically enter the field of midwifery through an apprenticeship or community-based training program. Oftentimes, a certified midwife or physician may take on an apprentice midwife to learn the art of midwifery in order to form a partnership, take over the business one day, or simply spread the practice of midwifery.
Certified Nurse-Midwives
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A certified nurse-midwife, or a CNM, is a registered nurse who has received specialized training and certification in the field of midwifery. A certified nurse-midwife often works within a traditional hospital setting and alongside doctors and other medical professionals to create a birthing experience that combines the practices of natural childbirth along with the medical care that may be needed for difficult pregnancies and complicated deliveries. CNMs are able to write prescriptions and provide more levels of aftercare than some direct entry midwives.
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Bachelor's Degree
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Whether a midwife decides to become a DEM or a CNM, both designations require that a candidate complete at least a bachelor's degree program. The bachelor's degree program should include certain prerequisites in the health sciences field to ensure that a midwife is properly equipped to care for patients. AllNursingSchools.com indicates that some certified nurse-midwife schools offer a program for associate degree holders to obtain a Registered Nurse designation or Master of Science in Nursing degree. Additional programs may offer midwife training for students who have already completed a bachelor's degree in a field outside of nursing.
Certification
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Once a midwife candidate has completed the necessary training and bachelor's degree programs, she must be certified to work as a midwife. The midwife certification requirements are developed by the American College of Nurse-Midwives. Candidates must pass an examination which is administered by the ACNM Certification Council, or ACC. Upon successful completion of the exam, a certified midwife or certified nurse-midwife designation may be assigned.
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References
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