Midwifery Field Faces 35% Growth
The nurse-midwifery profession is projected to grow 35% through 2034, making it one of the highest-demand nursing specialties. This growth is driven by increased demand for out-of-hospital births and compounded by a wave of retirements, according to workforce analysts. The significant demand creates both opportunities and challenges related to workforce shortages.
- A 2024 meta-analysis covering 1.4 million pregnancies found that midwife-led care for low-risk pregnancies was associated with a lower risk of unplanned cesarean sections, instrumental vaginal deliveries, and labor augmentation. Neonates in this care model also had lower risks of acidosis, asphyxia, and transfer to specialist care. - As of February 2026, 25 states allow Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs) to practice and prescribe independently without a written collaborative agreement with a physician. Nineteen states still require a written agreement that specifies physician supervision for certain actions. - In Virginia, a 2025 law allows Certified Nurse Midwives to perform newborn care in hospitals without a pediatrician on-call, a measure intended to help keep labor and delivery units open in rural areas. A state task force is also addressing barriers that prevent midwives from joining insurance networks. - The American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) cites several barriers to expanding the workforce, including state-level practice restrictions, a shortage of clinical preceptors for students, and a lack of diversity within the profession. - The global shortage of midwives is estimated at nearly one million, a gap that disproportionately affects low- and middle-income countries. The Americas face the highest proportional shortage, needing to increase the workforce seven-fold to meet population demand. - The federal "Midwives for MOMS Act of 2025" aims to address maternity care shortages by authorizing $15 million for midwifery schools and programs and $20 million for nurse-midwifery education programs from 2025 through 2029. The act prioritizes funding for programs that focus on increasing racial and ethnic minority representation. - Digital health platforms and remote patient monitoring are becoming more integrated into midwifery. Technologies like wireless sensors can now remotely monitor fetal heart rate and uterine contractions, allowing for more flexible and continuous observation. - Artificial intelligence (AI) is being explored to enhance midwifery education through personalized, data-driven learning tools and virtual patient scenarios for practicing clinical decision-making. Predictive models using AI also show potential for reducing clinical errors by identifying risks in real-time.
