A new generation of direct-entry midwives emerged in the 1970s to serve those women who were rediscovering normal birth and choosing to give birth at home. What began as a grassroots movement almost forty years ago has evolved into a body of professionals with a national identity. This professionalization began in 1982 with the founding of the Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA), an organization that brought together midwives from all backgrounds who were committed to unifying and strengthening midwifery.

From: Certified Professional Midwives in the United States: An Issue Brief From NARM, MEAC, NACPM and MANA, June 2008