Pennsylvania Midwifery Is at Risk — Here’s What You Need to Know

Direct entry midwifery—also called community, traditional, or religious midwifery—has existed long before licensing systems. These are the midwives who train through apprenticeship, serve outside institutions, and often care for the most underserved populations, including rural families, the Amish, Mennonite, religious objectors, and those seeking non-medicalized birth.

In Pennsylvania, these midwives are already at risk.

There is no licensing path for direct entry midwives in this state. The only options are to:

• Become a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) and practice under medical institutions, or

• Practice without a license and risk being criminally charged with “practicing medicine without a license.”

Right now, any clinical act—drawing labs, starting an IV, interpreting fetal heart tones—can be used as evidence in a criminal case. It’s not about safety or outcomes. It’s about legal definitions and jurisdiction.

SB507 Makes This Worse

Senate Bill 507, currently in committee, proposes a state license for Certified Midwives (CMs), a pathway not available to most traditional midwives. But the bill does more than create a license—it codifies what counts as midwifery and places all midwives under the jurisdiction of the State Board of Medicine.

If SB507 passes:

• Anything that looks like midwifery care will be considered illegal unless you're state-licensed.

• Traditional midwives will lose all legal ambiguity—and ambiguity is the only thing keeping them out of court right now.

• Families will lose access to the only birth workers who serve outside the system.

The Problem: No Representation

This bill was written and pushed forward without input from traditional or religious midwives, even though we serve thousands of families annually in Pennsylvania.

Direct entry midwives have no seat at the table—yet the table is setting laws that affect us, our families, and the very existence of our practices.

We are not asking for regulation. We are asking for recognition and protection. A path that honors our training, tradition, and outcomes—and a law that doesn’t criminalize our care.

Here’s What You Can Do

Call your state senator. Right now.

Use this simple script:

“My name is [Your Name], and I’m a [parent/midwife/doula/constituent]. I’m calling to oppose SB507 in its current form. It criminalizes traditional direct entry midwives and ignores the needs of rural, religious, and underserved communities. These midwives deserve a seat at the table. Please protect our rights and ensure their voice is represented before any law moves forward.”

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The Path Forward

We are:

• Organizing legal, legislative, and community coalitions

• Gathering professional and public opposition statements

• Drafting alternative language that protects all types of midwifery care in PA

You can help by:

• Filling out our stakeholder form (if you're a midwife, doula, OB, or birth professional)

• Donating to support our legal work

• Sharing this message with your network

This is not just about licensing. It’s about the right to exist.

Thank you for standing with the midwives of Pennsylvania & SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE INFO