Iowa is considering a bill to license certified professional midwives, joining 35 other states that regulate the profession. Opponents to the bill argue that it doesn't adequately address transfer agreements and coordination between midwives and hospitals. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is in favor of restricting midwives' scope of practice to carefully defined low-risk pregnancies. Some such restrictions about medical liability insurance and written collaboration with a physician have made it more difficult for midwives to practice. In 2019-20, the number of home births in the US rose 22%.
April 13, 2022
