Compare 24 certified nurse midwives in San Francisco, CA. Check ratings, insurance, and availability.
24
Certified Nurse Midwives
100%
Accepting patients
25%
Most common: LM, CPM
Ranked by Clarity Score, based on profile detail, verification, and patient activity.
San Francisco punches well above its weight in healthcare. UCSF is a top-10 national hospital, and the city's 95%+ insurance coverage rate is among the highest anywhere. The tradeoff is cost: provider fees here reflect the city's overall cost of living, and even insured patients can face significant out-of-pocket expenses.
San Francisco has 24 certified nurse midwives. The most common credential is LM, CPM (25%). 100% are currently accepting new patients.
SF is compact enough that most residents are within 20 minutes of a major hospital. UCSF's two main campuses (Parnassus and Mission Bay) anchor the western and eastern halves of the city. California Pacific Medical Center on Van Ness serves the northern neighborhoods. Muni and BART make car-free healthcare access genuinely possible here, which is unusual for a US city.
Providers practice throughout San Francisco. Mission District is a vibrant, diverse neighborhood with community health centers serving a large Latino population. Pacific Heights is an affluent neighborhood with concierge practices and proximity to CPMC and UCSF. SoMa is the South of Market area is close to Zuckerberg SF General, a Level I trauma center. Castro is a historic LGBTQ+ neighborhood with strong affirming care options and community clinics.
Nearby hospitals include UCSF Medical Center, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, and California Pacific Medical Center. Local training programs run through University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and University of San Francisco. UCSF Medical Center is among the top 10 hospitals in the nation, specializing in cancer and neurology.
Prenatal visits with a midwife are longer than typical OB visits, usually 30 to 60 minutes. The midwife will monitor your pregnancy, check blood pressure, measure your belly, listen to the baby's heartbeat, and spend time discussing nutrition, exercise, birth preferences, and any concerns. During labor, the midwife provides continuous support, encourages movement and positioning, and manages pain with non-pharmacological methods (water immersion, breathing techniques) or orders an epidural if requested. Postpartum visits typically include a check at one to two weeks and again at six weeks, with support for breastfeeding and recovery.
See a midwife for pregnancy care if you have a low-risk pregnancy and want a provider who emphasizes natural birth, patient education, and longer appointments. Midwives also provide well-woman care throughout your life: annual exams, Pap smears, breast exams, contraception counseling, fertility support, and menopause management. You might choose a midwife if you want a home birth or birth center birth, want to minimize medical interventions during labor, or simply prefer the midwifery model of care. If your pregnancy becomes high-risk, your midwife will collaborate with an OB/GYN.
Prenatal visit copay: $20-50 · Hospital birth (midwife fee): $2,000-5,000 · Birth center birth: $2,000-6,000 · Home birth: $3,000-8,000 (may be out of pocket) · Well-woman visit: $0-50 copay
San Francisco, CA has 24 licensed certified nurse midwives. 100% are currently accepting new patients, so finding an available provider should be straightforward.
Yes. 100% of certified nurse midwives in San Francisco, CA are currently accepting new patients. You can filter your search on FindClarity to show only providers who are taking new patients.
A prenatal visit copay is $20 to $50. A hospital birth (midwife fee) costs $2,000 to $5,000. A birth center birth costs $2,000 to $6,000. A home birth costs $3,000 to $8,000 (may be out of pocket). A well-woman visit copay is $0 to $50. Actual costs in San Francisco, CA depend on the provider and your insurance plan. All insurance plans must cover CNM maternity care. Birth center births are covered by most plans. Home birth coverage is less consistent; check your plan. Midwife-attended births tend to cost less overall due to fewer interventions.
In San Francisco, the main healthcare systems are UCSF Health (academic, highly specialized), Sutter/CPMC (broad community coverage across four campuses), Kaiser Permanente (closed network with its own facilities on Geary), and Zuckerberg SF General (the city's public safety-net hospital). Your insurance plan will often determine which system you use.
Some certified nurse midwives in San Francisco, CA accept Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid program. Medicaid covers CNM services in all states. About 50% of births nationally are covered by Medicaid. Midwife-attended births are fully covered. Contact the provider's office directly to confirm Medi-Cal participation before scheduling.
Prenatal visits follow the standard schedule: monthly through 28 weeks, biweekly from 28 to 36 weeks, and weekly from 36 weeks until delivery. Midwife visits tend to be longer (30-60 minutes vs. 15 minutes with an OB). Postpartum visits at one to two weeks and six weeks. With 24 certified nurse midwives in San Francisco, CA, you can search on FindClarity to find a provider who fits your schedule.
Certified Nurse Midwives in the area may have trained at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, UCSF School of Medicine, and Stanford University School of Medicine. Graduates of local programs often stay in the area to practice.
Healthy San Francisco is a city-funded program that provides healthcare access to uninsured San Francisco residents, including undocumented immigrants. It covers primary care, prescriptions, and hospital visits through the SF Department of Public Health network. It's not insurance, but it fills a real gap for residents who don't qualify for other coverage.
Many SF primary care panels are full, especially in popular neighborhoods like the Marina, Pacific Heights, and Noe Valley. UCSF and Sutter/CPMC periodically open new patient slots. One Medical and Carbon Health offer membership-based primary care with same-day availability. Community health centers also accept new patients on a rolling basis.
All insurance plans are legally required to cover certified nurse-midwife (CNM) services. Medicaid covers CNM care in all states and is the payer for about 50% of births nationally. Hospital births with a CNM are covered at the same level as physician births. Birth center births are covered by most plans. Home birth coverage varies by insurer and state. Verify your plan covers the specific birth setting you prefer. Midwife-attended births tend to cost less than physician-attended births due to fewer interventions.