What does a midwife do?
A midwife is a trained health professional who cares for people during pregnancy, birth, and afterward. Certified nurse-midwives are licensed nurses with graduate training.
Last updated November 11, 2026
When people see one
- Prenatal care for a low-risk pregnancy
- Labor and birth support
- Care after the baby is born
- Routine gynecologic exams and birth control
How it differs
OB-GYN: An OB-GYN is a surgeon and physician who can treat complications and perform cesarean births. A midwife focuses on low-risk care and works with a physician if problems come up.
On 2027 Colorado plans
Do you need a referral? Plan filings list referral rules only for specialists. Some plans need a doctor's order or prior approval for this care, so check the plan's summary of benefits.
What a visit costs (the plan's filed "Prenatal and Postnatal Care" benefit, in network, before any extra savings on silver plans):
- Bronze: $0 to $50 a visit on 29 of 56 plans; on the other 27, you pay toward your deductible or a share of the bill.
- Silver: $0 to $35 a visit on 50 of 58 plans; on the other 8, you pay toward your deductible or a share of the bill.
- Gold: $0 to $20 a visit on 20 of 30 plans; on the other 10, you pay toward your deductible or a share of the bill.
In-network care costs less. Out-of-network visits on an HMO or EPO usually aren't covered except in an emergency.
In Colorado
Public records list 626 midwives at 341 Colorado locations.
- El Paso County: 47 locations
- Boulder County: 37 locations
- Denver County: 37 locations
- Arapahoe County: 31 locations
- Larimer County: 28 locations
- Adams County: 23 locations
Counties with the fewest: Teller (1), Summit (1), Morgan (1), Montezuma (1), Logan (1). 30 counties have none.
Questions to ask the office
- Are you taking new patients?
- Which 2027 plans do you take? Ask for the plan's network name, not only the insurance company.
- Where do you deliver: a hospital, birth center, or home?
- What happens if I need a physician during labor?