<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>79127</law_id><section_number>54.1-2957.03</section_number><catch_line>Certified nurse midwives; required disclosures; liability</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>54.1-2957.9</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="54.1">Professions and Occupations</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Professions and Occupations Regulated by Boards Within the Department of Health Professions</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="29">Medicine and Other Healing Arts</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="4">Licensure and Certification of Other Practitioners of the Healing Arts</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> As used in this section, &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">birthing center</span>&#x201D; means a facility outside a hospital that provides maternity services. <a id="paragraph-283393" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-2957.03/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> A <span class="dictionary">certified nurse midwife</span> who provides health care services to a patient outside of a hospital or <span class="dictionary">birthing center</span> shall disclose to that patient, when appropriate, information on health risks associated with births outside of a hospital or <span class="dictionary">birthing center</span>, including but not limited to risks associated with vaginal births after a prior cesarean section, breech births, births by women experiencing high-risk pregnancies, and births involving multiple gestation. <a id="paragraph-283394" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-2957.03/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> A <span class="dictionary">certified nurse midwife</span> who provides health care to a patient shall be liable for the midwife&#x2019;s negligent, grossly negligent, or willful and wanton acts or omissions. Except as otherwise provided by <span class="dictionary">law</span>, any (i) doctor of medicine or osteopathy who did not collaborate or consult with the midwife regarding the patient and who has not previously treated the patient for this pregnancy, (ii) <span class="dictionary">physician assistant</span>, (iii) <span class="dictionary">advanced practice registered nurse</span>, (iv) prehospital emergency medical personnel, or (v) hospital as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="(Effective January 1, 2026) Definitions" href="/32.1-123/">32.1-123</a>, or any employee of, person providing services pursuant to a <span class="dictionary">contract</span> with, or agent of such hospital, that provides screening and stabilization health care services to a patient as a result of a <span class="dictionary">certified nurse midwife</span>&#x2019;s negligent, grossly negligent, or willful and wanton acts or omissions, shall be immune from liability for acts or omissions constituting ordinary <span class="dictionary">negligence</span>. <a id="paragraph-283395" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-2957.03/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2006, c. 750; 2009, c. 646; 2016, c. 495; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 396; 2023, c. 183.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
