As used in this Act:
     “Address of record” means the designated address recorded by the Department in the applicant’s application file or the licensee’s licensure file as maintained by the Department.
     “Antepartum” means before labor or childbirth.
     “Board” means the Illinois Midwifery Board.
     “Certified nurse midwife” means an individual who is licensed under the Nurse Practice Act as an advanced practice registered nurse and is certified as a nurse midwife.
     “Client” means a childbearing individual or newborn for whom a licensed certified professional midwife provides services.
     “Consultation” means the process by which a licensed certified professional midwife seeks the advice or opinion of another health care professional.
     “Department” means the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
     “Email address of record” means the designated email address of record by the Department in the applicant’s application file or the licensee’s licensure file as maintained by the Department.
     “Health care professional” means an advanced practice registered nurse or a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches.
     “Intrapartum” means during labor and delivery or childbirth.
     “Licensed certified professional midwife” means a person who has successfully met the requirements under Section 45 of this Act and has been licensed by the Department.
     “Low-risk” means a low-risk pregnancy where there is an absence of any preexisting maternal disease, significant disease arising from the pregnancy, or any condition likely to affect the pregnancy, including, but not limited to, those listed in Section 85.
     “Midwife assistant” means a person, at least 18 years of age, who performs basic administrative, clerical, and supportive services under the supervision of a certified professional midwife, is educated to provide both basic and emergency care to newborns and mothers during labor, delivery, and immediately postpartum, and who maintains Neonatal Resuscitation Program provider status and cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification.
     “Midwifery bridge certificate” means a certificate issued by the North American Registry of Midwives that documents completion of accredited continuing education for certified professional midwives based upon identified areas to address education in emergency skills and other competencies set by the international confederation of midwives.
     “Midwifery Education and Accreditation Council” or “MEAC” means the nationally recognized accrediting agency, or its successor, that establishes standards for the education of direct-entry midwives in the United States.
     “National Association of Certified Professional Midwives” or “NACPM” means the professional organization, or its successor, that promotes the growth and development of the profession of certified professional midwives.
     “North American Registry of Midwives” or “NARM” means the accredited international agency, or its successor organization, that has established and has continued to administer certification for the credentialing of certified professional midwives, including the administration of a national competency examination.
     “Onset of care” means the initial prenatal visit upon an agreement between a licensed certified professional midwife and client to establish a midwife-client relationship, during which the licensed certified professional midwife may take a client’s medical history, complete an exam, establish a client’s record, or perform other services related to establishing care. “Onset of care” does not include an initial interview where information about the licensed certified professional midwife’s practice is shared but no midwife-client relationship is established.
     “Pediatric health care professional” means a licensed physician specializing in the care of children, a family practice physician, or an advanced practice registered nurse licensed under the Nurse Practice Act and certified as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner or Family Nurse Practitioner.
     “Physician” means a physician licensed under the Medical Practice Act of 1987 to practice medicine in all of its branches.
     “Postpartum period” means the first 6 weeks after delivery.
     “Practice of midwifery” means providing the necessary supervision, care, and advice to a client during a low-risk pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum period, including the intended low-risk delivery of a child, and providing normal newborn care. “Practice of midwifery” does not include the practice of medicine or nursing.
     “Qualified midwife preceptor” means a licensed and experienced midwife or other health professional licensed in the State who participated in the clinical education of individuals enrolled in a midwifery education institution, program, or pathway accredited by the midwifery education accreditation council and who meet the criteria for midwife preceptors by NARM or its successor organization.
     “Secretary” means the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation.
     “Supportive services” means simple routine medical tasks and procedures for which the midwife assistant or student midwife is appropriately trained.