The North Carolina Midwifery Joint Committee met on Wednesday, April 14, 2010 to continue its study regarding the potential licensure and regulation of Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs). Only Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) are currently licensed in North Carolina. The Committee received comments from Ross Vaughan, MD, a neonatologist at Wake Med in Raleigh, opposing the licensure. Margie Priest, CPM, and Russ Fawcett, Vice President of the NC Friends of Midwives. spoke to the committee in support of licensure and the practice of home birth. The North Carolina Department of Insurance was also present and offered information regarding the limited malpractice insurance availability for CPMs.
The Committee will meet again on Tuesday, May 18, at 2:00 pm at the new Board of Nursing office, located at 4516 Lake Boone Trail in Raleigh. At this meeting, the Committee will vote to determine if it will recommend licensure of CPMs to the General Assembly.
