Today the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) announced the findings of their NRP survey. The survey was conducted in response to the challenges some CPMs have expressed trying to access NPR courses.While NARM acknowledges that difficulties do exist accessing NPR courses in some communicates, NARM maintains the importance of requiring the full NRP program (Online written exam and Skills testing) to uphold a standard of CPM skill outweighs the challenges individuals may face. NARM has committed to creating a Community-Based NRP Instructor Resource List that they will publish in the coming weeks.
Read moreNACPM welcomes Lauren French Hoy, CPM, LM, MSM , to the NACPM Board of Directors!
Lauren is the owner of madreluzLA midwifery practice, currently based in Los Angeles, California and previously located in Oaxaca, Mexico. Her training encompasses both traditional Oaxacan and professional midwifery taught in Spanish and a rigorous program at Bastyr University where she graduated with a Master of Science in Midwifery.
Read moreNational Midwifery Institute to host - Manifestations of Racism in Midwifery Education - A talk with Hakima Tafunzi Payne, MSN, RN
This session is a safe space for Black, Brown, and Indigenous midwifery students. The discussion will center around the phenomenon of racism as it occurs in both didactic and clinical learning (including apprenticeships) during midwifery education. Students will be offered opportunities to share their stories and experiences in order to process and begin to heal from the trauma associated with midwifery education for BIPOC candidates.
Read moreNACPM Welcomes New Board Member : Trish Ross, CPM
After a 25-year career in organizational development and training, Trish decided to pursue midwifery and did so, gaining the CPM credential in 2012, and then the Bridge certificate and Preceptor credential soon after.
Trish got involved with Midwives on Missions of Service (MOMS) in 2004 as a volunteer and became the Education Director in 2007.
Read moreNACPM Welcomes New Board Member : Tamara Trinidad, CPM
Tamara is a community partera/midwife, perinatal educator, and herbalist, born and raised in Puerto Rico. She is a mother of two children who were born at home with midwives and has been actively involved in birth work since 2012. She holds a Master of Science in Midwifery (MSM) with foundations in Botanical Medicine from Bastyr University and is a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM), credentialed by the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM), all completed in 2019.
Read moreJournal of Midwifery & Women’s Health (JMWH) CALL FOR MANUSCRIPTS: Contemporary Issues in Contraception and Abortion Care
The following manuscript types will be considered: Reviews, Innovations from the Field, Quality Improvement Reports, Clinical Rounds case reports, and Commentaries. Descriptions of the JMWH types of articles can be found in the Journal’s instructions for authors at www.jmwh.org. All manuscripts should include a discussion of access to care and health equity.
Read moreReport : Nowhere to Go: Maternity Care Deserts Across the U.S.
March of Dimes released its 2022 report, Nowhere to Go: Maternity Care Deserts Across the U.S., revealing access to maternity care is diminishing in places where it's needed most, impacting nearly seven million American women of childbearing age and roughly 500,000 babies. The data reinforces that the U.S. is still among the most dangerous developed nations for childbirth, especially in rural areas and communities of color.
Read moreNACPM Policy Impact: $900,000 in Scholarships to Be Awarded at Bastyr University!
NACPM is proud to share this example with you of how our policy work supports Certified Professional Midwifery and addresses the imperative of a racially representative midwifery workforce.
Read moreInvitation to Participate in Birth Worker Study to understand how community birth workers view and respond to racial disparities in maternal mortality, infant mortality, and maternal morbidity
The interview, which will take place over Zoom, will focus on a person’s pathway to becoming a birth worker; philosophy and model of care; health disparities; and the extent to which state and federal laws impact birthing centers.
Read moreGlobal Nursing & Midwifery Perspectives of Working During the COVID-19 Pandemic Research Study Invites CPMs to Participate
Certified Professional Midwives are being asked to take part in a research study conducted by NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing and led by Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAAN investigating Global Nursing & Midwifery Perspectives of Working During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Read moreThe Uneven Burden of Maternal Mortality in the U.S. - An Infographic from NIHCM Foundation
The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among high-income countries, and is the only one where maternal mortality is increasing. In 2020, the maternal mortality rate in the U.S. was 23.8 deaths per 100,000 live births, a 14% increase from the prior year, yet most pregnancy-related deaths are preventable. The rate among Black women is nearly three times that of White women. These racial disparities are linked to structural racism, underlying chronic conditions, disparities in access to health care and many of the social determinants of health.
Read moreImproving Birth Outcomes Among Women of Color Begins with Care that Reflects Them
Direct Relief has partnered with the National Association of Certified Professional Midwives to provide $50,000 in funding to support Black and Indigenous midwifery students in the United States. The funds will be used to assist with the cost of tuition, licensing, exam fees, and mentorship.
Read moreUnderstanding the Black Maternal Momnibus Act
“Rarely do we see legislation where the authors have clearly listened to the community, activists and researchers,” said Tanya Khemet Taiwo, CPM-ret, MPH, PHD, former president of NACPM. “This bill goes beyond simplistic solutions that ignore the true origins of maternal mortality and the unconscionable burden borne by Black families and addresses the social determinants of health…
Read moreA Mindfulness Application for Reducing Prenatal Stress
Mindfulness, defined as attention and awareness of the present moment without judgment, is widely used outside of pregnancy as a primary or adjunct treatment for stress, anxiety, and depression. A mindfulness practice has been shown to decrease several physiologic markers of stress including blood cortisol levels, C-reactive protein levels, blood pressure, and heart rate.
Read moreRate of First-time Cesarean Deliveries on the Rise in the US
Cesarean deliveries increased in the US from 2019 to 2021, a trend driven by a rise in the share of patients who underwent the procedure for the first time, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
Read moreNACPM Co-Hosts Congressional Briefing to Address the Perinatal Health Crisis
NACPM was most pleased to be back on Capitol Hill last week on July 13th to co-host a lunch Briefing for Congressional staff with the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) and the American Association of Birth Centers, in conjunction with Congresswomen Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA-40th) and Katherine Clark (D-MA-5th) and the Black Maternal Health Caucus: “Solutions for Scaling Up and Maximizing Evidence-Based Midwifery and Birth Center Care in the U.S.”
Read moreJournal of Midwifery & Women’s Health call for manuscripts: Climate and Environmental Effects on Perinatal and Reproductive Health
The editors of the Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health (JMWH) are soliciting manuscripts that address the effects of climate and environment on perinatal and reproductive health care for upcoming JMWH continuing education (CE) offerings. Accepted manuscripts may be published in a theme issue or as stand-alone CE articles.
Read moreNACPM Welcomes Interim Executive Director Lorita Williams
Lorita Williams has been named Interim Executive Director of the National Association of Certified Professional Midwives (NACPM). The decision is part of a plan by the Board of Directors to find a permanent successor following the departure of Founding Executive Director, Mary Lawlor.
Read moreWhen a Black mother dies, there is a ripple effect. AFTERSHOCK, an original documentary from Onyx Collective and ABC News Studios, premieres July 19th on Hulu.
Through the film, we witness these two families become ardent activists in the maternal health space, seeking justice through legislation, medical accountability, community, and the power of art.
Read moreThe Application Deadline for The Bigger Table Fund is July 15th!
The Application Deadline for Bigger Table Fund is July 15th!
If you are a midwifery student or midwife of color, an indigenous and/or LGBTQ student or midwife, and you are ready to take or retake your NARM exam, or to apply for state licensure, we encourage you to appy to the Bigger Table Fund! Our current round of applications closes July 15th.
Apply now for the current Award Cycle
The goal of the fund is to remove some of the significant financial barriers that midwifery students and midwives of color, indigenous and/or LGBTQIA+ students and midwives face when entering the CPM profession. We recognize that there are multiple barriers beyond the NARM examination and state licensure fees, and it is our ardent intention to grow this fund in the coming years to help defray some of those additional expenses.
2022 Application Deadlines
July 15, October 15
Funds are distributed quarterly, according to a lottery system, with $3000 available per cycle. The maximum individual award is $1000.
Read more about the Bigger Table Fund here.