Organized Confusion: How CPMs Blur the Lines

Overview

Most consumers do not understand the difference between a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) and a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM). That confusion is not accidental. It is the result of deliberate naming strategies, branding practices, and marketing language that obscure significant differences in education, training, and safety.

When families believe their midwife is licensed, certified, or credentialed, they often assume those terms mean the same thing they do in nursing, medicine, or other health professions. In the case of CPMs, they do not.

Naming Confusion by Design

The term “midwife” is not protected in many U.S. states. Anyone can use it, regardless of training or legal status. In other countries that have midwifery well integrated into the system like Canada, UK, New Zealand and Australia, Midwife is a protected title. Without title protection this creates a situation in which:

• Midwives with no nursing degree or medical training can call themselves “licensed” or “certified”.

• The acronym CPM closely mirrors CNM, even though the two represent vastly different qualifications.

• In some states, even felons or unlicensed individuals can legally present themselves as midwives.

Families may believe they are hiring a professional equivalent to a nurse or physician, when in reality, the provider is operating without standardized training, hospital access, or insurance.

Misleading Terminology

On websites, business cards, and promotional materials, CPMs frequently use medicalized or professional-sounding terms to create a false equivalency:

• “Licensed Midwife” — may mean a state registry with no required degree or oversight.

• “Board Certified” — not recognized by any formal health profession board.

• “Trained in Emergency Birth” — may refer to a few workshops with no clinical supervision.

• “Certified” — refers to NARM, a private credentialing body without enforcement authority.

These terms are legally vague, but powerfully misleading when applied outside the context of medicine, nursing, or allied health professions.

Branding to Resemble CNMs or OBs

Many CPM websites and social media pages borrow heavily from the branding of legitimate healthcare practices:

• Use of stethoscopes, scrubs, or hospital-style logos.

• Language like “primary maternity care,” “healthcare provider,” or “evidence-based birth.”

• Prominent references to “informed consent” and “safety protocols” without infrastructure to support either.

It is common for CPMs to represent themselves as a midwife with the same training as a CNM except without a Registered Nurse license, which is not an accurate representation of CPM training. The Direct Entry Midwife that meets these standards is called a Certified Midwife, an entirely different type of midwife. This type of midwife has a graduate degree and takes the AMCB certification that CNMs are required to take

Comparison of Different type of Midwives in USA

Real-World Consequences

This intentional confusion results in families:

• Hiring providers they believe are comparable to hospital-based professionals.

• Accepting higher-risk home birth options under the assumption that their provider is trained to handle emergencies.

• Only discovering the difference between CPM and CNM after a poor outcome.

Summary

The public deserves clarity. If a credential does not reflect standardized training, integrated practice, or professional accountability, it should not be presented in a way that suggests otherwise. Licensing CPMs only adds to their false claims of legitimacy to the public.

Misleading language isn't just a marketing issue. It is a public safety concern.