GateHouse Media filed more than 150 records requests to build a first-of-its kind database on midwives and birth centers. We also compiled laws and regulations in all 50 states. Explore the site to search them all.


Legal status and count of non-nurse midwives and freestanding birth centers across the United States.

Toggle between the midwife map and the birth center map.

There are at least 333 active freestanding birth centers* in the United States.

To explore the data, you can:

GateHouse Media used social media, search engines and public records to compile a list of freestanding birth centers* in the United States, along with facility inspection, survey and disciplinary reports. Read about our methodology here

*GateHouse Media only counted birth centers that are freestanding and not affiliated with a hospital.

GateHouse Media identified records for at least 24,000 midwives in the United States.

To explore the data, you can:

GateHouse Media used state professional organizations and public records to compile a list of midwives in the United States, along with provider complaint, investigation and disciplinary records. Journalists requested a list of midwives that have held a license in the last 10 years, but received a variety of results. Kansas has yet to fulfill our records requests for a list of midwives licensed by those states. Read more about our methodology here.