Illinois Creates New License Process for Midwives

 Posted on February 04, 2022 in Medical License Defense

 Over the past few decades, the experience of labor and delivery for women has undergone dramatic changes. The process used to be a very clinical one, ending in a birthing experience that involved drugging the mother from the moment she arrived at the hospital and keeping the newborns in the nursery instead of with their mothers for the majority of their extended hospital stays.

The attitude about the birthing process has all changed to a much more family-intimate experience. This has also led to many women choosing to entrust their care to midwives instead of obstetricians. Some women even decide to have their babies born at home, whether by choice or because of the astronomical expense of a hospital delivery.

However, until recently, only those who were certified as nurse-midwives could provide Illinois women with this type of care, but a new law recently signed by the governor will create a new license process for midwives that does not require a nursing degree.

Current Law

Under current law, only certified midwives who also have a degree in nursing are allowed to provide women with gynecological care, including prenatal, delivery, and postnatal care. A midwife who is certified but does not hold a nursing degree is legally prevented from assisting in home births in the state, despite the fact that they are trained and certified to do so.

As of October 1, 2022, Illinois will be joining 35 other states and Washington DC that license certified professional midwives. This license will allow midwives who do not hold a nursing degree but are certified to provide prenatal, delivery, and postnatal care, as long as the pregnancy and/or delivery is deemed “low risk.”

The state will also issue qualification standards, including education and training, that a midwife must hold in order to obtain a license, including:

• The midwife must have a professional midwife certification from the North American Registry of Midwives.

• The midwife must complete an accredited postsecondary midwife education program.

• A certified midwife who has not completed the above program can be licensed if they have a minimum of three years’ experience, as well as other certifications.

Contact an Illinois Professional License Defense Lawyer

Now that certified midwives will be able to receive a license to practice in the state, this also means that they will be vulnerable to the types of issues that other licensed medical professionals in Illinois are. If you have questions about obtaining a license or you have received notification from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) that you are being investigated, call The Law Offices of Joseph J. Bogdan, Inc. at 630-310-1267 to meet with a skilled Illinois professional license attorney and find out how we can help.  

Source:

https://chicago.suntimes.com/2021/12/14/22834687/midwifery-licensed-profession-illinois-midwives