During a prenatal visit, vital signs are monitored as well as baby’s size, position, heart rate, and discussion of physical and emotional issues or challenges that may arise. We also offer information, resources, and support for self-care through pregnancy and beyond. To access this study guide you will need to choose how much time you will need access to the study materials. Please note that you do not need to register with this site in order to use the study materials nor pay any type of registration fee.
In 2018 my family returned home to Michigan and I started my own practice, This Moment Midwifery. With licensure for Michigan midwives becoming law for the practice of midwifery, I attained the NARM Bridge Certificate and additional educational requirements for state licensure and then became a licensed midwife in August of 2019 when the first midwifery licenses were issued. Based on the MANA Core Competencies, the guiding principles of the practice of CPMs are to work with women to promote a healthy pregnancy, and provide education to help her make informed decisions about her own care.
A Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) is a knowledgeable, skilled and professional independent midwifery practitioner who has met the standards for certification set by the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) and is qualified to provide the Midwives Model of Care. NACPM is committed to securing licensure for Certified Professional Midwives in all 50 states and U.S. territories based on the standards set by the profession for certification, education, scope of practice and standard of care. Licensure is key to making midwifery more widely accessible and enables CPMs to participate in an integrated system that includes opportunities for consultation, collaboration, referral, and multi-disciplinary peer review. It is also a mechanism by which members of the mid­wifery profession are held accountable to the public for pro­viding safe care that is consistent with the scope of practice defined by the profession and upheld by state law and sub­sequent regulatory guidelines. The credential validates the knowledge, skills, and abilities vital to responsible midwifery practice and reflects and preserves the essential nature of midwifery care.
Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA)MANA is a professional organization for all midwives. The mission of MANA is to provide a nurturing forum for support and cooperation among midwives. The Midwives Model of Care is based on the fact that pregnancy and birth are normal life processes. If you are currently licensed as a Direct-Entry Midwife in a jurisdiction approved by the Division, you may qualify for licensure by endorsement. The monthly subscription fee is intended to be fair and accessible to all students while allowing for fair and equitable payment of staff and instructors, and institutional sustainability.
Decades of research have demonstrated that disparities in Black maternal and infant mortality are due to systemic racism and provider bias and that having providers with racist outlooks causes real HARM to Black families. This particular preceptor has HARMED an AfroIndigenous midwife and is a threat to Black students and clients. Our graduates submit official paperwork to NARM and then sit for the NARM Exam, which is the national board exam for Certified Professional Midwives. If the applicant passes the exam, NARM is the one who grants them the accomplishment of becoming a Certified Professional Midwife. We have arranged our classes to follow roughly a six-semester plan, though students can pick and choose their classes or follow our plan to receive a graduate certificate from our school. Remember, NARM requires the clinical portion of CPM training last a minimum of two years and no longer than ten years.

CNMs are licensed in all states, though the scope of practice may vary from state to state. Most CPMs own or work in private home or birth center based practices throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Providing continuous care for women throughout their childbearing cycle, CPMs generally carry a relatively low client load (averaging 3-6 births per month) which allows for more personalized and comprehensive care than typical obstetrical practices. The scope of practice of the CPM is derived from the NARM Job Analysis, state laws and regulations, and individual practice guidelines developed by each midwife according to her skills and knowledge. Complete the program as prescribed for Texas students, including attending all the workshops and apprenticing with an approved CPM or CNM.

Credentialing and Scope of Practice for Certified Nurse-Midwives

CNMs are able to practice in hospitals and medical clinics, birthing centers, or within the home. Our CNMs have hospital privileges at Providence Alaska Medical Center and prescriptive authority. The class I provide and my mentorship is purely for support and tutoring purpose. I am not affiliated with NARM or any school and there is no certification or recognition you will receive for taking my classes and receiving my mentorship. My aim in providing this mentorship program is to provide you with ample knowledge I have gained over the years with both hospital and home birth practice and fill the gap in your self study journey. I am Direct Entry Midwife, Internationally Educated and NARM certified through the Internationally Educated Midwife PEP route (this route is gone now).

Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) serve a disproportionate number of low-income, rural, immigrant and uninsured families. Regulation and licensure of CPMs ensure there are enough well-trained midwives to meet the demand for out-of-hospital birth in private homes and freestanding birth centers and to provide safe and affordable maternity care for underserved populations. The 1995 NARM Job Analysis was undertaken by NARM in conjunction with the National Assessment Institute. The survey instrument was developed by the participants of the Certification Task Force meetings, and included every possible midwifery skill and knowledge aspect for out-of-hospital practice.
In partnership with their clients they carefully monitor the progress of the pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum period and recommend appropriate management if complications arise, collaborating with other healthcare providers when necessary. The key elements of this education, monitoring, and decision making process are based on Evidenced-Based Practice and Informed Consent. National certification is a mechanism by which members of the midwifery profession exercise the right and responsibility for ensuring there are standards for the core competencies necessary for safe practice and that midwives achieve and maintain the defined competencies. National certification, like educational program accreditation, is developed and administered through private agencies.
However, the American College of Nurse Midwives does offer certification for nurses wishing to pursue careers in midwifery. For more information about our graduates’ qualifications, visit Direct Entry Midwifery or Glossary of Terms. Our comprehensive NARM Certified Professional Midwife practice tests are designed to mimic the actual exam. You will gain an understanding of the types of questions and information you will encounter when you take your North American Registry of Midwives NARM Certified Professional Midwife Certification Exam.
They are usually licensed in individual states as Licensed Midwives (LMs) or Registered Midwives (RMs). The Midwives Alliance of North America tracks the laws and regulations in each state for direct­-entry midwives. Midwifery and Women’s Health Care believes in a collaborative model of care. If a woman’s risk status increases, our midwives work in close collaboration with physicians to provide the safest care.
The CPM credential is the only midwifery credential that requires the holder to demonstrate knowledge and have experience in providing midwifery services in out-of-hospital settings. Most CPMs work in their clients’ homes and in private birthing centers, providing care to women throughout their childbearing cycle. Like CNMs, CMs may provide a full range of primary healthcare services, from adolescence to beyond menopause.

National Midwifery Exam

To take the jurisprudence exam again, you will need to re-register and pay a new fee. Licensed Midwives must additionally submit proof of passing the jurisprudence examination in the four years preceding renewal. Applicable fees are paid directly to the vendor for the jurisprudence examination. The Jurisprudence Examination will test your knowledge of state and federal laws and regulations relating to midwifery as described in the current Texas Midwifery Basic Information and Instructor Manual (PDF). The North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) conducts examination and issues certification to Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs).

Students who graduate from MEAC-accredited schools are eligible for certain benefits from NARM, such as a simplified application process and the option for early certification testing. Traditional Midwives can also be called “lay midwives,” “community midwife,” “Granny midwives,” or “direct-entry midwives.”  They practice in out-of-hospital settings like homes. There is no one method of becoming a traditional midwives but most pursue training as an apprentice with a practicing midwife.
NACPM is a member association of the International Confederation of Midwives and embraces the ICM Global Vision for Strengthening Midwifery and the ICM Standards for Midwifery Regulation (2011). These Global Standards serve as a guide to development of legislation, amendments to existing legislation, and promoting changes that strengthen regulatory frameworks to support autonomous midwifery practice. This NARM Prep course was especially designed to address the issues that students face while preparing to sit for the NARM exam. It includes strategies for getting organized, managing stress, study strategies, test-taking tools, and most importantly, a decoding of NARM written test specifications. One of the modules is dedicated to taking you through the three domains which represent the greatest number of exam questions, and helping you to interpret what you will need to know.

The North American Registry of Midwives (NARM)

All midwives, regardless of eligibility through “Entry Level” or “Experienced Midwife” were required to pass the NARM Written exam. This marked the end of the NARM Registry process (list of those who passed the exam) and the beginning of the NARM Certification Process (verification of education and experience, and passing the written examination). Midwives who had taken the earlier versions of the NARM Registry Exam and who wished to become CPMs had to furnish a portfolio application verifying education, training, and experience to meet the standards established by NARM. The initial certificants were midwives with extensive experience, most of whom had served as Subject Matter Experts for the development of the examinations and the certification process. To maintain the CM designation, they must be recertified every five years and meet specific continuing education requirements. A professional midwife is defined as one who is certified by NARM as a certified professional midwife providing for compensation those skills relevant to the care of women and infants before, during, and after birth.

The curriculum is aligned with the educational requirements of the Midwifery Education Accreditation Council, North American Registry of Midwives, and the International Confederation of Midwives. “My favorite thing about ExamEdge’s online practice test is that they mimicked the actual exam. I walked into the exam feeling confident I knew the material and walked out knowing my time studying with Exam Edge was well worth the effort.” Applicants for initial licensure must provide proof of successfully completing the NARM midwifery exam or status as a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) from NARM. Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) usually practice within hospital settings after earning a nursing degree.
The Colorado Office of Direct-Entry Midwifery Registration (Office) regulates individual registered direct-entry midwives in the State of Colorado. The Office’s mission is to maintain the profession’s integrity and protect its consumers. The Office works in conjunction with the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) and the Colorado Midwives Association (CMA). Midwives are specially trained to support women from menarche (the first period) through menopause. They are experts in pregnancy, childbirth and the immediate postpartum period for low risk families. As a midwife credentialing agency and a tax-exempt non-profit collecting fees from members, NARM has a responsibility to public safety.
Referral links on the bottom of the webpages are outside affiliates and provide services beyond our immediate scope as midwives. We are unable to accept responsibility for the content of their websites and service agreements. Please understand that we refer them for the quality of their services but they do not necessarily represent our values, ethics or beliefs. Labs, waterbirth rental, ultrasounds, birth supplies and ancillary fees are additional.