America is facing a maternal health crisis.

The United States has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among high-income countries. Too many families experience preventable complications during pregnancy and childbirth. Access to maternity care remains limited in many communities.

One solution has been consistently overlooked.

Midwives.

Certified midwives and certified nurse-midwives attend more than 10 percent of births in the United States and provide comprehensive reproductive and maternal health care across the lifespan. Evidence consistently shows that midwifery care improves outcomes while reducing unnecessary interventions.

Yet the United States still has far fewer midwives per birth than most developed nations. At the same time, the profession remains one of the least diverse in health care. More than 98 percent of midwives in the United States are women. Fewer than one percent are men.

In April, I became the first male president of the American College of Nurse-Midwives. While that milestone may sound surprising, it highlights a deeper issue. Many people still assume midwifery is a profession only for women. My own career has shown me how limiting that perception can be.

Over the past several decades, I have worked as a midwife, educator and global health leader focused on strengthening midwifery education systems and workforce development. I have helped build educational programs, develop competency-based education models, and expand learning opportunities for midwives serving communities across the world.

What I have seen across countries and health care systems is clear. When midwives are well educated, supported and integrated into health care systems, maternal outcomes improve.

Expanding the midwifery workforce in the United States should be a national priority. But expanding the workforce requires expanding how we think about who belongs in the profession. Midwifery has deep roots in women supporting women through childbirth. That tradition remains central to the profession.

At the same time, modern health care demands a broader vision. Patients deserve access to skilled, compassionate providers who reflect the diversity of their communities. That diversity includes culture, language, background and gender.

Men entering midwifery often find themselves as the only male student or provider in their environment. Yet what patients consistently value is not gender. It is trust, skill and respectful care. That is the heart of the midwifery model.

As president of the American College of Nurse-Midwives, my goal is to support the continued growth of this profession. That means expanding educational pathways, strengthening the workforce, and ensuring more communities have access to midwifery care. It also means challenging outdated assumptions about who can become a midwife.

Midwifery is one of the most effective ways to improve maternal healthcare in the United States. To realize that potential, we need more midwives and a broader vision of who can serve in this vital role.

Peter Johnson is the president of the American College of Nurse-Midwives and a midwifery and nursing workforce strategist.