Characteristics of nurse-midwife patients and visits, 1991

Objectives. This study describes the patient populations sen ed by and visi ts made to certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) in the United States. Methods Prospective data on 16729 visits were collected from 369 CNMs rando mly selected from a 1991 population survey. Population estimates were deriv ed from a multistage survey design with probability sampling. Results. We estimated that approximately 5.4 million visits were made to ne arly 3000 CNMs nationwide in 1991. Most visits involved maternity care, alt hough fully 20% were for cafe outside the maternity cycle. Patients conside red vulnerable to poor access or outcomes made 7 of every 10 visits. Conclusions. Nurse-midwives substantially contribute to the health care of women nationwide, especially for vulnerable populations.