In Mississippi, midwifery is legal, but it operates in a relatively unregulated space.
The state does not license non-nurse midwives, also known as direct-entry midwives, which means these practitioners, who specialize in out-of-hospital births, are not regulated by the government. This lack of regulation allows any individual to offer midwifery services, irrespective of their experience or training. As a result, families seeking midwifery care bear the responsibility of verifying the education, skills, and experience of anyone they hire as a midwife. It's common for midwives in Mississippi to have the designation of Certified Professional Midwife (CPM), but it's crucial for families to conduct thorough interviews and research to ensure they are choosing the right midwife for their needs. Direct-entry midwives in Mississippi do not accept insurance as payment, and Medicaid does not cover costs for services provided by direct-entry midwives.
Efforts to regulate midwifery in Mississippi, including proposals for licensure and certification, have been discussed but have not successfully passed into law. This places Mississippi among a minority of states that do not regulate or license direct-entry midwives.
