The Midwives Voice

03/02/2026

02/24/2026

NO!!

02/24/2026

Please reach out!

Please submit your comment before March 2, 2026. Please share this request and call to action widely amongst your networks. We need as many comments as possible to persuade the powers that be at the Education Department.

The proposed rule, Reimagining and Improving Student Education (Docket ID: 2026-01912), would exclude advanced practice nursing and midwifery degrees (i.e., MSN, DNP, Ph.D., MS, DM) from the definition of “professional degree programs” eligible for higher federal loan limits. If finalized, this policy could make nursing and midwifery education more difficult to afford, deter future students from entering the profession, and weaken the maternal health workforce at a time when the nation is facing a maternal health crisis.

ACNM encourages all members to submit a public comment urging the Department to include Nursing and Midwifery degrees (i.e., MSN, DNP, Ph.D., MS, DM) in the definition of professional degree programs. Share how loan limits affect nursing and midwifery education, workforce diversity, rural access to care, or maternal health outcomes. Reinforce that CNMs and CMs are highly trained, highly educated, evidenced-based, licensed professionals critical to addressing the nation’s maternal health crisis.

ACNM has developed a draft comment letter to make participation easy. However, it is essential that you include your own personal stories and perspectives on how this proposal, if adopted, could negatively impact the advanced practicing nursing and midwifery pipeline in the United States. You can click on this link, and your comments will go directly to the Department of Education’s site.

Your voice matters. Federal regulators need to understand that supporting nursing and midwifery education is not just an education issue, it is a maternal health and access-to-care imperative.

https://www.votervoice.net/ACNM/Campaigns/134084/Respond

02/21/2026

This is SO important to develop nurturing, caring, family attachments during birth.

02/19/2026

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02/18/2026

02/18/2026

2026 Call for Abstracts is now open!
The American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) Annual Meeting & Exhibition is the premier continuing education, networking, clinical, and business meeting for certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and certified midwives (CMs) nationwide. The event will take place October 9-12, 2026 at the Kansas City Convention Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

We welcome abstracts that reflect on our 71st Annual Meeting theme, This Is Our Moment: Midwives Transforming the World.
The deadline to apply has been extended to March 1, 2026 11:59 PM ET. Please visit https://annualmeeting.midwife.org/Home for details.

02/17/2026

Have you see the “Transitioning to Midwifery Models of Care: Global Position Paper”? Developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and UNICEF. This groundbreaking paper, led by WHO’s Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing and supported by technical experts, regional offices, and global stakeholders, represents a unified international commitment to advancing midwifery-led care.

The position paper defines midwifery models of care, outlines guiding principles, and underscores the proven benefits of this approach—including improved outcomes for women and newborns, reduced unnecessary interventions, and better integration within health systems. It calls for collaborative, team-based care and positions midwives as essential to achieving high-quality, cost-effective maternal and newborn health services under Universal Health Coverage.

ACNM welcomes this global recognition and reaffirms our dedication to advancing midwifery models of care both in the U.S. and worldwide.

Let’s continue working together to center midwifery in health systems and improve outcomes for all.

02/14/2026