Midwifery-led care is associated with improved birth outcomes, fewer obstetric interventions, and reduced disparities in outcomes among underserved populations. Although efforts to expand the certified nurse-midwife (CNM) workforce have contributed to its growth, midwives still attend a relatively small share of US births, likely due in part to workforce barriers such as restrictive scope-of-practice laws and burnout, limiting broader access to midwifery-led care.

This article uses National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses (NSSRN) data to examine changes in CNMs demographics, career pathways, and job experiences over time and compare them with those of other APRNs, providing insight into the workforce factors that shape entry into and retention within the midwifery profession.

Don’t have access to the full text? Email Paula Kett, (pmk@uw.edu), to request a pdf version.