Career Overview
Provide prenatal care and childbirth assistance.
Also Known As
- Certified Professional Midwife (CPM)
- Homebirth Midwife
- Licensed Certified Professional Midwife
- Licensed Midwife (LM)
Alternate Job Titles
- APC (Advanced Practice Clinician)
- APP (Advanced Practice Provider)
- Birth Center Midwife
- Birth Doula
- Certified Direct-Entry Midwife
- Certified Midwife
- Certified Professional Midwife (CPM)
- Direct-Entry Midwife
- Doula
- Homebirth Midwife
- Lay Midwife
- Licensed and Certified Midwife
- Licensed Certified Professional Midwife
- Licensed Direct Entry Midwife
- Licensed Midwife (LM)
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Monitor maternal condition during labor by checking vital signs, monitoring uterine contractions, or performing physical examinations.
- Identify tubal and ectopic pregnancies and refer patients for treatments.
- Provide necessary medical care for infants at birth, including emergency care such as resuscitation.
- Conduct ongoing prenatal health assessments, tracking changes in physical and emotional health.
- Monitor fetal growth and well-being through heartbeat detection, body measurement, and palpation.
- Establish and follow emergency or contingency plans for mothers and newborns.
- Identify, monitor, or treat pregnancy-related problems such as hypertension, gestational diabetes, pre-term labor, or retarded fetal growth.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Test patients for sexually transmitted infections.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Customer and Personal Service
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Psychology
- Therapy and Counseling
- English Language
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Social Perceptiveness
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Service Orientation
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Reading Comprehension
- Coordination
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Comprehension
- Problem Sensitivity
- Oral Expression
- Inductive Reasoning
- Deductive Reasoning
- Written Comprehension
- Speech Clarity
- Information Ordering
- Near Vision
- Written Expression
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Empathy
- Attention to Detail
- Stress Tolerance
- Dependability
- Cooperation
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Relationships
- Achievement
- Independence
- Recognition
- Working Conditions
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months
Education Details: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Experience Required: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Epic Systems
- Extensible markup language XML
- MEDITECH software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Automated blood pressure cuffs
- Automated external defibrillators AED
- Baby scales
- Bedpans
- Blood drawing syringes
- Blood glucometers
- Desktop computers
- Digital medical thermometers
- Episiotomy scissors
- Evacuated blood collection tubes
- External fetal monitors
- Fetal doppler units
- Hemostats
- Hypodermic syringes
- Intravenous IV sets
Work Environment
- Physical Proximity
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Telephone Conversations
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
Salary & Job Market
Wages reported for the broader Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other occupational group (BLS 2024), which includes Midwives.
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $37,220 |
| Median | $64,030 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $127,340 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 36,970
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Nurse Midwives
Education: Master's Degree
Median Salary: $128,790
Nurse Practitioners
Education: Master's Degree
Median Salary: $129,210
Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Education: Post-Doctoral Training
Median Salary: >$239,200
Registered Nurses
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $93,600
Pediatricians, General
Education: Post-Doctoral Training
Median Salary: $210,130
Is This Career Right for You?
Discover your perfect career match with our free comprehensive assessment! Get personalized recommendations based on your interests, skills, and values.
Take the Free Career Assessment →
Want Personalized Guidance?
For customized career recommendations, college selection strategies, and expert application support, explore the MehtA+ Admissions Consulting Program. We help students identify the right opportunities and navigate the path to achieving their academic and career goals.
Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.