Characteristics of nurse-midwife patients and visits, 1991

This study describes the patient populations served by and visits made to certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) in the United States. Prospective data on 16,729 visits were collected from 369 CNMs randomly selected from a 1991 population survey. Population estimates were derived from a multistage survey design with probability sampling. We estimated that approximately 5.4 million visits were made to nearly 3000 CNMs nationwide in 1991. Most visits involved maternity care, although fully 20% were for care outside the maternity cycle. Patients considered vulnerable to poor access or outcomes made 7 of every 10 visits. Nurse-midwives substantially contribute to the health care of women nationwide, especially for vulnerable populations.