NACPM shares the ICM vision that every childbearing woman in the world has access to a midwife's care for herself and her newborn.  Through our study and work, we have come to appreciate the value of the ICM Core Documents and the support they provide for the development and strengthening of midwifery.  Now we have the opportunity to become even more fully engaged in the ongoing evaluation and refinement of the standards as they apply in the U.S. and around the world.

Mary Lawlor, NACPM Executive Director

In another example, from 2008 to 2013, ICM and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) conducted a joint program, "Investing in Midwives and others with Midwifery Skills," to accelerate progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals.  The program took place in about 30 countries, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa and a few in Asia and Latin America. The Program's overall goal was to improve skilled attendance at birth in low resource settings by developing a sustainable midwifery workforce. Work was focused on creating a "critical mass" of Country Midwifery Advisors (CMAs) who were identifying gaps in midwifery education, regulation and professional associations. The CMAs were working with Governments at national and regional levels to develop policies and programs to address these gaps in order to elevate the availability and quality of care provided by midwives.

Thousands of midwives gather every three years for an international conference sponsored by the ICM.   The last Triennial Congress was held in 2011 in Durban, South Africa, and drew more than 3000 participants. This year it will be held in Prague, Czech Republic and NACPM will be there!