Licensed Midwives

Question 1

What are the responsibilities of a midwife?

Answer 1

To manage uncomplicated pregnancies, childbirths, postpartum care, and preventive reproductive care

Question 2

What education does one need to become a midwife?

Answer 2

Master’s degree (or higher) in midwifery or a related field (must be certified)

Question 3

Applicants for midwife licensure must pass an exam to measure knowledge, judgment, and matters of law, ethics, and practice as deemed appropriate by the department.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

For a midwife to practice midwifery legally, what type of professional relationship is required?

Answer 4

A collaborative relationship with an OB/GYN physician

Question 5

To prescribe/order drugs, midwives must obtain certification from the Education Department by submitting evidence of…

Answer 5

completion of a 3-credit course in pharmacology related to the practice of midwifery. Note: most midwives have done so and are identified on the NYSED website as “certified with prescriptive privilege.”

Question 6

Can midwives treat male patients?

Answer 6

NY State Law limits midwifery practice to the treatment of women. However, under the guidelines for “Expedited Partner Therapy Guidelines for Healthcare Providers in NYS for Chlamydia Trachomatis”, licensed midwives may treat male partners.