Study highlights growth of state midwifery practice policies

A University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center study found that between 2007 and 2023, the percentage of midwife-attended births rose in rural and urban settings and was higher in full practice authority states, though trends did not change after states adopted these policies. The study, supported by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, used Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Nurse-Midwives data. In 2007, 13 states and Washington, D.C., had full practice authority policies. From 2008 to 2023, 20 additional states passed full practice authority policies. Overall, midwife-attended births increased during the study period among states without full practice authority policies, states that passed policies in 2007 or earlier and states that passed policies during the study period. (AHA News article, 10/9/26)