There are awards and events and women and their families can get involved online too.
National Midwifery Week started yesterday (3 October) and is being organised by the
American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM).
This year the public can get involved by joining ‘
Team Midwife’ - a social media campaign that allows women and their families to spread the facts about the midwifery profession.
Michelle Collins, certified nurse-midwife and professor at Vanderbilt University, said: ‘The United States is one of the few developed countries in the world that does not rely on midwives to care for healthy women.
‘In large part, this is because myths and misunderstandings overshadow the facts about today’s midwifery profession.’
Every year, more than 300,000 US women partner with midwives to navigate birth, puberty, menopause, and other stages of life.
However, millions don’t have midwives in their area or are simply unaware that midwives are an option.
The ACNM is the professional association that represents certified nurse-midwives and midwives in the US.
It provides research, administers and promotes continuing education programs, establishes clinical practice standards, and creates liaisons with state and federal agencies and members of congress.
Its mission is to promote the health of women and infants through the development and support of midwifery.
