New UA nurse-midwife program aims to expand access to maternal care

The University of Arizona launched the state’s only certified nurse-midwife program in August, and enrollment is open to nurses who want to specialize in maternal care.

The university identified increasing the number of maternal health providers as a way to improve maternal health outcomes. Right now, not enough general OB-GYNs are replacing those retiring and leaving the practice, said Erin McMahon, the program’s director.

The loss of providers is hitting rural areas of Arizona harder than urban centers. According to a brief published by UA's Center for Rural Health, only about 5% of OB-GYN physicians and 8% of certified nurse-midwives work in rural areas. 

“Rural women have less access to health care, prenatal, obstetric and post-partum services” and one in four rural women end up giving birth at a hospital that is not local, the brief said.