Midwives in Utah

Did you know that there are four different types of midwives in Utah that can legally practice? In the state of Utah, women are legally guaranteed the right to birth however and with whomever they choose, which is what makes it possible for all four of these different types of midwives to be able to practice here.

The four types of midwives in the state of Utah are LDEM – Licensed Direct Entry Midwife, CPM – Certified Professional Midwife, DEM – Direct Entry Midwife, and CNM – Certified Nurse Midwife.

-CPM: Certified Professional Midwives have met the requirements for the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM). These requirements include either graduating from a midwifery program or school that is accredited by the Midwifery Education Accreditation Council (MEAC) or completing a non-MEAC accredited program and completing a preceptor program as a student under a NARM Registered Preceptor.

-LDEM: Licensed Direct Entry Midwives are also Certified Professional Midwives (CPM’s) who have met the requirements for the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM). In addition to being certified by NARM, they are also licensed by the state of Utah. A CPM can become an LDEM through many different avenues, including apprenticeship, self-study, and/or formal classes. They are also required to complete pharmacology training in Utah, which allows them to have limited prescriptive privileges.

-DEM: Direct Entry Midwives may or may not have met the requirements for the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) but have not become a CPM.  DEM’s can obtain their education through apprenticeship, self-study, and/or formal classes. They are not licensed with the state of Utah, but are legally able to practice out-of-hospital midwifery.

-CNM: Certified Nurse Midwives have become a Registered Nurse and then completed schooling to become a Certified Nurse Midwife. Most CNM’s work in hospitals, as they are the only type of midwife legally able to do so in Utah. They are also legally able to carry medications, write prescriptions, and are typically under the supervision of a doctor. On the other hand, CNM’s can also choose to work with clients in birth centers or in the home.

Other important differences between the different types of midwives in Utah:

-CPM’s and DEM’s can deliver breech babies and twins, while LDEM’s and CNM’s cannot.

-All four types of midwives can carry oxygen, but only LDEM’s and CNM’s can carry and administer other medications such as lidocaine, Rhogam, Vitamin K, Eye ointment, IV’s, medications for hemorrhage, and antibiotics.

-LDEM’s have limited prescriptive privileges, while CNM’s are not limited in their prescriptive privileges.

If you plan to have your baby in a hospital but would like to be under the care of a midwife, you’ll want to seek out a CNM who works in a hospital. You can see last week’s blog post to learn more about the differences between midwifery care and ob-gyn care in a hospital setting.

**Much of the information included in this blog describing the different types of midwives in Utah has been provided by Tooele Midwifery and The Birth Center.