Will AI replace Nurse Midwives?
AI can do 36% of the work Nurse Midwives do at least twice as fast. People already use it for 2 of their 21 tasks, while 8 more are ready but barely used so far. 11 still need a person.
AI is already doing this2 · 6% of time
People already use AI for these tasks in real work, based on Anthropic's analysis of how Claude is used.
- Write information in medical records or provide narrative summaries to communicate patient information to other health care providers.Mostly automated4% of time
- Read current literature, talk with colleagues, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in midwifery.Mostly assisted2% of time
AI could do this next8 · 31% of time
AI can speed these up by at least half, but real use has not caught up yet. These are next in line.
- Document patients' health histories, symptoms, physical conditions, or other diagnostic information.9% of time
- Explain procedures to patients, family members, staff members or others.5% of time
- Order and interpret diagnostic or laboratory tests.5% of time
- Develop and implement individualized plans for health care management.4% of time
- Document findings of physical examinations.4% of time
- Consult with or refer patients to appropriate specialists when conditions exceed the scope of practice or expertise.2% of time
- Conduct clinical research on topics such as maternal or infant health care, contraceptive methods, breastfeeding, and gynecological care.1% of time
- Establish practice guidelines for specialty areas such as primary health care of women, care of the childbearing family, and newborn care.1% of time
Still needs a person11 · 64% of time
No real AI use, no proven AI speedup and no robot that can do it yet. This is the part of the job to build on.
- Provide prenatal, intrapartum, postpartum, or newborn care to patients.24% of time
- Perform physical examinations by taking vital signs, checking neurological reflexes, examining breasts, or performing pelvic examinations.8% of time
- Monitor fetal development by listening to fetal heartbeat, taking external uterine measurements, identifying fetal position, or estimating fetal size and weight.7% of time
- Educate patients and family members regarding prenatal, intrapartum, postpartum, newborn, or interconception care.6% of time
- Provide primary health care, including pregnancy and childbirth, to women.6% of time
- Provide patients with direct family planning services, such as inserting intrauterine devices, dispensing oral contraceptives, and fitting cervical barriers, including cervical caps or diaphragms.4% of time
- Manage newborn care during the first weeks of life.2% of time
- Prescribe medications as permitted by state regulations.2% of time
- Instruct student nurse midwives, medical students, or residents on the birthing process.2% of time
- Initiate emergency interventions to stabilize patients.1% of time
- Plan, provide, or evaluate educational programs for nursing staff, health care teams, or the community.1% of time
Your week is not the average
Describe what you actually do and get a personal report: your own tasks, what AI can already do, what stays yours and a 90 day plan.
What this means
AI can speed up parts of this job, mostly the paperwork and information work around it. The core still depends on hands, presence or relationships.
What to do next
- Do the 2 tasks AI is already handling with AI yourself. Your peers already are, and it is quickly becoming the baseline.
- Get ahead on the 8 tasks AI could do next. These move as tools improve, so learning them early pays off.
- Build on the 11 tasks that stay human. This is where your judgment, skill and relationships matter most.
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