The American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) has taken the position that is committed to eliminating racism, racial bias, and race-based disparities in the midwifery profession (ACNM, 2018). Midwives have a notable influence in reducing disparities and providing equitable perinatal care to communities. Midwives can help achieve this goal through self-assessment of implicit health provider bias, eliminating systemic barriers to quality care, acknowledging the lived experiences of birthing people, and cultivating trusting patient-provider relationships (Alhusen, Bower, Epstein & Sharp, 2016).
Here are the main points of the ACNM Position Statement:
Racism and Racial Bias The American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) is committed to eliminating racism and racial bias in the midwifery profession and race-based disparities in reproductive health care.
ACNM’s position is that midwives must
• Understand the history and current manifestations of racism and white supremacy in medicine, midwifery, and reproductive health care.
• Recognize and address the structural forces that perpetuate racism and race-based disparities in health care.
• Engage in lifelong introspection and self-development to identify and address their own implicit bias, internalized racism, and potential to perpetuate racism.
• Provide non-judgmental, culturally sensitive care to all people and work simultaneously to identify and implement ways to reduce the effect of racism on the health outcomes for their patients of color.
ACNM is committed to
• Increasing the racial and ethnic diversity within the profession with the aim that ACNM members will reflect the racial diversity of the populations they serve.
• Identifying and supporting midwives of color to develop and achieve leadership positions at all levels throughout ACNM.
• Including strategies to address racism and race-based disparities in subsequent revisions of the Core Competencies for Basic Midwifery Practice.
• Including robust content on racism and race-based disparities at all events and in documents and communications.
• Working with the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education to incorporate and regularly update content on racism and race-based disparities into midwifery education programs.
• Working with the American Midwifery Certification Board to develop continuing competency assessment modules to ensure that midwives do not reinforce negative biases and racial stereotypes that harm patients.
• Providing continuing education on racism, its relationship to health disparities, and strategies for midwives and midwifery services to address racism in themselves and in their communities.
• Evaluating the challenges and successes related to these commitments and reporting on these bi-annually at the ACNM Annual Meeting.