The International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA) is a professional organization that supports educators and health care professionals who believe in freedom to make decisions based on knowledge of alternatives in family-centered maternity and newborn care.

ICEA is a nonprofit organization. Since its formation in 1960, ICEA members and member groups have remained autonomous, establishing their own policies and creating their own programs. There are no certification requirements for individuals other than a commitment to family-centered maternity care and the philosophy of freedom to make decisions based on knowledge of alternatives in childbirth.

A nurtured world through professionals trained in family-centered maternity and newborn care.

To educate, certify, and support the birth professional who believes in freedom to make decisions based on knowledge of alternatives in family centered maternity and newborn care.

COMPASSION: We believe approaching maternity care with compassion and a nurturing spirit improves birth outcomes for all families.

COLLABORATION: We practice a culture of collaboration based on the knowledge that mindful engagement with diverse groups advances positive, family-centered maternity care.

CHOICE: We support freedom of choice by training professionals committed to empowering expectant families through informed decision making.

Family-centered maternity care is ICEA’s primary goal and the basis of ICEA philosophy. In 1986 ICEA adopted the McMaster University definition of FCMC:

Philosophy: The birth of a baby represents the birth of a family. The woman giving birth and the persons significant and close to her are forming a new relationship, with new responsibilities to each other, to the baby, and to society as a whole. Family-centered reproductive care may be defined as care which recognizes the importance of these new relationships and responsibilities, and which has as its goal the best possible health outcome for all members of the family, both as individuals and as a group.

Family-centered care consists of an attitude rather than a protocol. It recognizes a vital life event rather than a medical procedure. It appreciates the importance of that event to the woman and to the persons who are important to her. It respects the woman’s individuality and her sense of autonomy. It realizes that the decisions she may make are based on many influences of which the expertise of the professional is only one. It requires that all relevant information be made available to the woman to help her achieve her own goals, and that she be guided but not directed by professionals she has chosen to share the responsibility for her care.

Practice: The practice of family-centered maternity care is founded on this philosophy and encompasses birth practitioners, birth places, and maternity-newborn care, as determined by the needs and decisions of each woman and her family.

1. Provide quality education emphasizing compassion, collaboration, and choice.
2. Set the standards for the diversified birth professional.
3. Advance ICEA as a leader in the field of maternal child health.
4. Promote evidence-based options in maternal child health through collaboration and networking.
5. Improve birth outcomes for all families in the international community.

To see a full list of our position papers, click here.