Why Midwifery Is a Career Worth Exploring: Pros and Cons 

Midwifery is one of the oldest and most meaningful healthcare professions, centered on supporting women through pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. In today’s healthcare landscape, midwives are not only relevant—they are essential.

Whether working in hospitals, birthing centers, or community clinics, midwives play a central role in maternal care by offering personalized, holistic, and often low-intervention support during one of the most intimate times in a family’s life.

But like all healthcare careers, midwifery comes with both rewards and challenges. Below, we break down the top pros and cons of being a midwife in 2025 to help you make an informed decision about this growing and impactful profession.

> Go Elective Pre-Midwifery and Midwifery Electives Abroad

3 Key Advantages of Becoming a Midwife

1. Rising Demand for Midwifery Services

As more families seek out natural birthing options and holistic maternity care, the demand for qualified midwives continues to grow. In response to rising cesarean rates and ongoing maternal health disparities in the U.S., midwifery has become an increasingly central part of the healthcare conversation.

According to the American Midwifery Certification Board, over 13,000 certified nurse midwives (CNMs) and certified midwives (CMs) are now practicing in the U.S.—a number that has been steadily rising each year. This demand has led to expanded roles for midwives in both urban hospitals and rural communities.

2. Emotionally Rewarding Career Path

Few healthcare careers offer the deep personal connection that midwifery does. As a midwife, you are present for one of the most powerful moments in a person’s life—birth. Whether it’s providing labor support, delivering a baby, or helping a mother navigate breastfeeding, midwives are there through it all.

The role extends far beyond delivery: midwives often form long-term relationships with families, offering education, reassurance, and postpartum care. For those passionate about family-centered, compassionate care, this is one of the most emotionally fulfilling professions in healthcare.

3. Competitive Salaries and Advancement Opportunities

Midwives are well compensated for their expertise and dedication. As of 2025, the average annual salary for certified nurse midwives is around $112,000, with experienced midwives earning upward of $150,000 to $170,000, depending on the region and setting.

Career growth opportunities include:

• Supervising a birthing center
• Advancing to administrative roles
• Pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
• Becoming a midwifery educator or clinical preceptor

Those working in hospitals or private practices may also receive additional benefits like health insurance, retirement plans, and paid family leave.

3 Common Challenges Midwives Face

1. Uneven Regulations and Legal Barriers

One of the main frustrations in the midwifery profession is the lack of regulatory uniformity across U.S. states. While CNMs are licensed to practice in all 50 states, CMs are only recognized in a few. This limits mobility and employment options depending on your credentials.

Prospective midwives must carefully review the licensing laws in their state or intended practice location. For example:

• Some states allow midwives to independently attend births in homes or birth centers.
• Others require collaborative agreements with physicians.
• Certain regions impose restrictions on prescribing medications or attending VBACs (vaginal births after cesarean).

Understanding these regulations is crucial when planning your midwifery career.

2. Interprofessional Misunderstandings

Although collaboration between obstetricians and midwives has improved, tensions still exist in some clinical settings.

Reasons include:

• Differing approaches to birth (e.g., natural vs. medicalized)
• Lack of awareness of each other’s training and scope
• Ambiguity in roles during high-risk deliveries

In certain cases—such as breech presentations or prolonged labor—conflicts may arise about who should lead care. While many midwives and OBs work cooperatively and respectfully, navigating these dynamics can be challenging, especially in high-pressure environments.

3. Irregular Hours and Burnout Risk

Birth doesn’t happen on a schedule—and neither does a midwife’s work. This career often involves:

• Long, unpredictable shifts
• Overnight and weekend call duties
• Physically demanding tasks (e.g., attending births for 12+ hours)

Because midwives form such deep emotional connections with their patients, they are also more susceptible to compassion fatigue. Without healthy boundaries and support systems, the risk of burnout is high—especially for solo practitioners or those working in understaffed settings.

Final Thoughts: Is Midwifery Right for You?

There’s no denying that midwifery is both a challenging and deeply rewarding career. From providing life-changing care to shaping birth experiences, midwives are at the heart of family health and maternal well-being.

If you’re passionate about women’s health, value holistic care, and want a role where your presence makes a profound impact, midwifery might be the perfect fit. But it’s essential to understand the regulatory limitations, emotional demands, and real-world challenges before committing to this path.

Want to test the waters before committing to midwifery school? Explore Go Elective’s midwifery internships in Kenya or Tanzania. You’ll assist in prenatal care, observe births, and work alongside trained midwives in real maternal health settings—no certification required. It's a powerful way to gain experience, build perspective, and see if this path is right for you.

Article Details

Categories

Recent Articles , Pre-health, Nursing Internships,

Author: Go-Elective Abroad

Date Published: Jun 15, 2025