Unlicensed midwifery practice in Washington state

We examined the role of unlicensed midwives in Washington State by questioning mothers of infants born out-of-hospital with an unlicensed person in attendance. Only a small proportion of the state's births (0.11 percent) were attended by unlicensed midwives. Unlicensed midwives attended 7 percent of home births, licensed midwives and certified nurse-midwives attended 69 percent. Mothers chose unlicensed midwives because they had religious beliefs in common, or because they were the only providers available who would attend a home birth.