🌾 Is NARM Failing BIPOC Midwives? Unpacking Representation, Lawsuits & Student Harm

The North American Registry of Midwives (NARM), established in 1994 by the Midwives Alliance of North America, is the dominant credentialing body for Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) in the U.S.  . But despite its role in standardizing out-of-hospital midwifery, persistent issues—like a mostly white membership, ongoing legal challenges, and allegations of student mistreatment—are raising questions about equity, structural racism, and accountability within the profession.

 

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📊 1. A Profession Lacking BIPOC Representation

According to NARM’s own 2000 survey, out of 487 CPMs, only 6 identified as Black/African‑American, while 454 were white  . That’s less than 1.5% Black representation more than two decades ago. And more recent critiques—such as public petitions from BIPOC midwives—underscore that this demographic imbalance still persists today  .

This matters profoundly. Studies show that lack of racial concordance between provider and patient correlates with worse outcomes, particularly for Black mothers—a root contributor to disproportionately high Black maternal morbidity and mortality rates  .

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🧑🏾⚕️ 2. Lawsuit Allegations: Preceptor Abuse & Discrimination

In a widely shared Change.org petition, Afro-Indigenous CPM Judith Angeles described being hired under one agreement and then had her pay slashed—from $6,000 down to $1,000/month—with no recourse. Disturbingly, her white employer made explicit racist statements like:

“I’m done being anti‑racist. I’m happy to embrace being a racist white midwife.”  

Judith demanded a full investigation from NARM, which “has not intervened.” She argues this systemic inaction puts already marginalized BIPOC students in harm’s way and reinforces barriers to mentorship and equitable training  .

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⚖️ 3. Accountability Failures: Due Process & Student Rights

Recent reporting from Carolina Waterbirth highlights how two midwives, Sandy and Carolyn, had their credentials revoked by NARM without due process—no fair hearing, no written justification, no legal representation  . One shared:

“They didn’t allow me to go work in another practice… I couldn’t find a supervising midwife, so they revoked my CPM…”  

This undermines trust in NARM’s accountability program, and raises serious concerns about how students—especially BIPOC—might be left unprotected and vulnerable.

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📈 4. Why This Is More Than Just Misconduct—It’s Structural Harm

    •    Barrier to mentorship: BIPOC students often struggle to find preceptors willing to support them, and abusive dynamics only reinforce marginalization.

    •    Access to care: Fewer BIPOC CPMs means fewer culturally responsive providers for communities of color—which research shows impacts outcomes  .

    •    Entangled in systemic racism: Midwifery’s white-dominated modern history—emerging from privileges of WWII-era nurse-midwives and excluding Black “granny midwives”—formed structural inequity that continues today  .

    •    Professional erasure: Revoking credentials without due process silences midwives, especially those speaking out against racism, and sends a chilling message to future BIPOC midwives.

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🚨 5. Could This Be Legal Malpractice or Civil Rights Violation?

The allegations—wrongful termination, racial discrimination, refusal to act, no due process—could point toward:

    •    Employment law violations (wage agreements, contract repudiation)

    •    Civil rights/legal violations under 42 U.S.C. § 1981/§ 1983 prohibiting racial discrimination in employment

    •    Organizational negligence by NARM in failing to protect students and uphold equitable standards

These are not minor PR issues—they are potential legal breaches with serious consequences for individual midwives and the profession as a whole.

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🔑 So What’s at Stake?

    1.    Black maternal health suffers when BIPOC provider recruitment and retention are neglected.

    2.    Future midwives—especially students—face barriers ranging from pay discrimination to loss of career opportunity.

    3.    Trust in NARM is eroded when policies protect the powerful and silence the vulnerable.

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✔️ What Needs to Happen

    •    Independent investigation into alleged racism and discriminatory treatment.

    •    Transparency in credential revocation, with fair hearing rights, appeal options, and legal representation allowed.

    •    Structural changes within NARM to:

    •    Recruit, mentor, and retain BIPOC midwives.

    •    Enforce anti-racist policies and codes of conduct.

    •    Support for BIPOC midwifery students, including scholarships, preceptor training, and restorative justice mechanisms.

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💡 Final Thoughts

NARM’s mission—to preserve the Midwifery Model of Care—is commendable. But without equity, accountability, and representation, even the best-intended certification can perpetuate harm in communities that need healing the most.

If we’re serious about solving Black maternal morbidity and reclaiming midwifery as a liberatory, justice-centered practice, we must demand real systemic change—not just certification.