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Midwives in the United States: past and present

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Abstract

The main focus of the present paper is to place the current occupation of certified nurse-midwife (CNM) within the historical context of the decline of lay midwifery and the rise of the medical profession. The development and growth of nurse-midwifery is documented, as well as current problems facing the profession. The most salient contemporary issue is cancellation of malpractice insurance for 1400 CNMs in 1985. The consequences of this, and suggested policy changes, are explored.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Western Illinois University, 61455, Macomb, IL, USA

    Polly F. Radosh

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  1. Polly F. Radosh
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Additional information

An earlier draft of this paper was presented at the 1985 meeting of the Association for Humanist Sociology held in Atlanta, Georgia.

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Radosh, P.F. Midwives in the United States: past and present. Popul Res Policy Rev 5, 129–146 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00137177

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