CNM/CM-attended Birth Statistics

Certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and certified midwives (CMs) attended 312,129 births in 2010 (the most recent year for which final birth data are available), according to the National Center for Health Statistics. This represents 11.6% of all vaginal births, or 7.8% of total US births.

Trends in CNM/CM-Attended Births
The number of CNM/CM-attended births has risen nearly every year since 1989—the first year that CNM/CM statistics were made available. In 2010, the total number of CNM/CM-attended births declined slightly along with a decrease in total US births compared to 2009. However, the percentage of US births attended by CNMs/CMs increased. Over the past decade, the percentage of vaginal births attended by CNMs/CMs increased by 20.8%.

CNMs/CMs Represent Majority of Midwives
Since 1989, CNMs/CMs have accounted for more than 90% of all midwife-attended births. In 2010, CNMs/CMs attended 93% of midwife-attended births.

CNMs/CMs Provide Midwifery Care in All Settings
CNMs/CMs practice wherever women give birth. In 2010, the majority of CNM/CM-attended births occurred in hospitals (95.7%), while 2.2% occurred in freestanding birth centers, and 2% occurred in homes.

Additional Resources
ACNM Online Media Kit: www.midwife.org/media-kit
ACNM Communications Department
Phone: 240-485-1826
Fax: 240-485-1818
E-mail: pr@acnm.org
www.midwife.org
Consumer Information: www.ourmomentoftruth.com

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Source: Martin JA, Hamilton BE, Ventura SJ, Osterman MJK, Wilson E, Matthews TJ. Births: Final data for 2010. National vital statistics reports; vol 61 no 1. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2012.

Updated November 2012