Legal Recognition

Laws and regulations governing the practice of nurse-midwifery and midwifery are rapidly changing. CNMs and CMs are regulated on the state level, thus professional practice and interaction with other health care professionals, such as physicians, can vary from state to state. CNMs are legally authorized to practice in every state in the US and in the District of Columbia. CMs are currently legally authorized to practice in New York, New Jersey and Rhode Island.

For individual state statutes and regulations, check with the regulatory agency in each state. For nurse-midwifery practice, this is usually the state board of nursing, but also may be the board of medicine, the board of midwifery, or the state department of health or public health.

View the State Legislative page for information about state laws and regulations.

Updated April 2008