Midwifery in Arkansas: A New Era

About Midwifery

Nurse-midwives are advanced practice nurses who provide evidence-based, compassionate care across the lifespan—from gynecology and primary care to pregnancy, childbirth, and newborn care in hospitals, birth centers, or at home.

Learn More About Midwives

Become a Midwife at UAMS

Our new Master of Nursing Science in Nurse-Midwifery is now accepting applications for Fall 2026. This 47-credit program includes 840 clinical hours and combines one year of full-time study with 1.5 years part-time, preparing BSN-prepared RNs for the American Midwifery Certification Board exam and advanced practice licensure.

View Midwife Programs

Midwifery in Arkansas

Certified nurse-midwives practice in a variety of settings across Arkansas and have full-practice authority to provide independent care. Their care is associated with fewer cesareans, more successful vaginal births, higher breastfeeding rates, and greater patient satisfaction, underscoring the importance of expanding access statewide.

Learn More About What We Offer

Midwives in Central Arkansas

We are here to provide expert care during your pregnancy, delivery and postpartum experience. Call the UAMS Health Women’s Center to request the midwifery clinic when scheduling your new OB appointment.

Request a Midwife

Midwives in Northwest Arkansas

Midwives offer more than pregnancy care—they also provide comprehensive gynecologic and reproductive health services. Patients in Northwest Arkansas can schedule appointments with our midwives for gynecologic care at this time.

Request a Midwife

Resources

Samantha Crouch, DNP, Garners National Recognition for Midwives Program

Samantha Crouch, DNP, CNM, has developed a nationally recognized midwifery program at UAMS. Learn more about this program.

View Article

ropped shot of Asian pregnant woman having a consultation with doctor during routine check up at clinic. Doctor is performing an examination and touching the belly. Check-ups, tests and scans to ensure a healthy pregnancy for both mother and unborn baby

Understanding the Role of Midwives in Modern Healthcare

Dive into the midwifery model with Samantha Crouch, Certified Nurse Midwife at UAMS Northwest, as she unpacks the role midwives play in pregnancy and women’s health.

Listen to the Podcast

a pregnant lady is examined by young student midwife overseen by a senior nurse

UAMS set to train more Arkansas midwives

UAMS will launch the state’s first nurse-midwifery program next fall to train more midwives who provide women with comprehensive care during pregnancy.

Read the Article

Mom and newborn baby skin to the skin after birth

Building the Future of Midwifery in Arkansas

Learn about the exciting launch of the UAMS Nurse Midwifery Program and how it’s shaping the future of maternal health in Arkansas.

Watch the Video

A female surgeon is with her team of surgeons. The multi-ethnic group is preparing to perform a cesarian section on a pregnant woman. The female doctor is sitting next to a patient who is lying on an operating table. The doctor is holding the patient's hand while providing comfort.

My Midwife Birth Experience

Hear one mother’s story of choosing certified nurse midwifery care for her third delivery and how it transformed her birth experience.

Watch the Video

Meet Shannon Whatley, CNM at UAMS Health

Certified nurse midwife Shannon Whatley shares what midwives do and why she chose this path—to care for women from puberty through menopause and beyond.

Watch the Video

Young woman smiles while looking at her baby's ultrasound image. She is meeting with a home healthcare nurse. Pregnant woman and doctor looking at her baby ultrasound picture

What Is a Certified Nurse Midwife?

Learn what certified nurse midwifery really means and how the new UAMS program is training advanced practice nurses to provide personalized, hands-on care for women.

Watch the Video