Licensed Midwifery Board Composition

An ideal licensed midwifery board should have an odd number of members to prevent voting deadlocks and should include at least one consumer of midwifery services rendered by a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) or Direct-Entry Midwife (DEM) to ensure public representation and accountability. The majority of the board should be comprised of midwives who have passed the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) exam, as they possess the specialized knowledge and clinical expertise required to effectively oversee and advise on community midwifery practice. Since midwifery boards typically serve as either direct regulatory authorities or in an advisory capacity, it is essential that decisions impacting the profession and public safety are made by recognized experts. This composition fosters informed, balanced governance that supports high standards of care and professional integrity in licensed midwifery.

*** It is very difficult to determine via statuatory descriptions how much actual decision making power a board has in practice. One advisory board could have their recommendations heeded all the time, in another locality their recommendations may be totally ignored.