Iowa lawmakers consider licensing midwives who perform home births

Home births make up a small percentage of all births in the U.S., but during the pandemic, they increased dramatically.

Many states require licenses for non-nurse midwives but more than a dozen — including Iowa — don't.

The Iowa legislature is considering whether to establish a licensing board for midwives who do home births but many hospitals and health care providers are against the move.

Natalie Krebs of Side Effects Public Media reports.