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CNMA Newsletter – May 2026
- Communications Team
- May 4
- 18 min read
COMING UP - Lobby Day Tuesday June 3rd, 2026
The California Midwives Association is excited to invite you to Lobby Day on Tuesday, June 3rd in Sacramento! This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with other CNMs and midwifery advocates, meet with your legislators and advocate directly for the issues that matter most to us.
CNMA 2026 Annual Meeting – SAVE THE DATE!
Join us for the 2026 CNMA Annual Meeting and Retreat on September 19-20, 2026 at the Ventura Buddhist Center in beautiful Ventura, California. Earn ACNM CEs while reconnecting with old friends, networking with new friends, and soaking in all the energy and inspiration!
Legislative Action & Advocacy
May 2025 Committee Updates
Legislative updates
AB1696 - Stefani - MW Emergency Services Bill
Passed out of assembly health!
AB 1696 would bring existing emergency services code for nurse-midwives in alignment with existing law. This bill clarifies that nurse-midwives do not require physician supervision when the nurse-midwife is providing care within the scope of their licensure, as established in SB 1237 (Dodd 2020).
Fact Sheet: AB 1696 (Stefani) Midwives Fact Sheet.pdf
AB 1973 - Aguiar-Curry - Abortion Modernization Bill
Passed out of Assembly B&P and Assembly Health!
Although California has taken significant steps in recent years to enshrine and protect access to reproductive healthcare, legal barriers remain that limit how and when certain clinicians can provide abortion care. AB 1973 allows advanced practice clinicians (APCs) to provide abortion services to the full extent of their training and competence by removing outdated and restrictive language in state law. At a time when abortion access is under attack nationwide, this bill ensures California is utilizing its skilled reproductive health care workforce to meet patient needs.
Fact Sheet: 2026.03.05 - AB 1973 (Aguiar-Curry) Fact Sheet - Modernizing Reproductive Health Care Workforce - FINAL.pdf
CNMA has taken support positions on 7 reproductive health rights and justice bills. There are many more moving through the legislature. Want to help make a difference in CAs health care system? Join LAAC and help with important activities such as bill review! Email advocacy@cnma.org to join the team!
Budget updates
We are continuing our efforts to encourage the legislature to and Governor's office to fund midwifery education through SB 520 (Caballero) & AB 836 (Stefani)
Other Policy/Advocacy Issues
NMAC positions open:
The Nurse Midwifery Advisory Council advises the BRN on issues related to to Nurse-Midwife it is an important role for improving midwifery in the state: The appointment in for 3 years, board only meets 2x/year and you can join virtually with the opportunity to do additional work with a subcommittee.
Applications are due Friday, May 1, 2026.
Share widely in your communities!
The California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) is currently looking for one qualified Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) who is interested in volunteering to serve on the Nurse-Midwifery Advisory Committee (NMAC) to work with BRN, other Registered Nurses (RN), medical professionals, and public members to make recommendations on RN and advanced practice education, appropriate standards of care, and other matters specified by the Board. All applications will be reviewed and appointments will be made by the Board. If you are interested in applying to serve as a volunteer on NMAC, please submit your completed application, resume, and supplemental questionnaire by 5:00 pm on Friday, May 1, 2026.
Midwifery in the News
Click the links below to read these relevant articles.
Membership Opportunities
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: YOUR CNMA / ACNM MEMBERSHIP
Membership season is a great time to reflect on what it means to be part of a professional community that truly has your back.
If you're a current member — thank you. Your support fuels advocacy efforts, shapes policy, and strengthens the midwifery community across California and beyond. Not sure if your membership is active? Log in to My Portal on the ACNM website to check your status anytime.
If your membership has lapsed or you've been meaning to join, there's no better time than now. Becoming a member connects you to a network of peers, professional resources, and time-saving benefits — while your dues work behind the scenes to advance legislation that protects your practice and the families you serve.
Questions about membership? Write to us at membership@cnma.org — we're happy to help. Ready to join or renew? Click here.
CNMA Open Board Positions
CNMA has several open opportunities remaining in 2026 and encourages members who are interested to consider applying!
Current openings include:
Representatives from Under-Represented Groups (two positions open)
Representatives from under-represented groups (including but not limited to BIPOC, disabled, LGBTQ, rural, poor, home birth and free-standing birth center midwives) shall:
Attend monthly BOD meetings
Ideally have a well-developed understanding of the Reproductive Justice Framework
Be in community and connection with the members of the under-represented community/communities whose voice they are elevating. Bring awareness to the specific needs of these communities to the BOD and act as a voice for the members to the BOD
Attend their local chapter meetings, when possible
Take initiative to be involved in events in their region and to develop relationships with the members of the region
Possibly be involved with fundraising to support CNMA aims
Voting Status: They are voting members of the BODTerm: 3 year term: 2 years as Representative from an under-represented group, followed by one year as Immediate Past Representative (the "Immediate Past" role is non-voting)
Regional Representative – Central CA
Regional Representatives (one each from Southern CA, Northern CA and Central CA) shall:
Attend monthly BOD meetings
Keep in touch with the regional chapters so the regional director is up to date
Act as a voice for the members to the BOD
Establish two-way communication with regional chapter chairs and members to update them on affiliate issues, as well as bring issues, comments, needs and requests from regional members to the BOD
Take initiative regarding events in their region and develop relationships with the members of the region, including participation at local chapter meetings, when possible
They are encouraged to be involved in fundraising efforts in their region
Take a leadership role in organizing in-district visits when it comes to grassroots advocacy/legislation
Voting Status: Regional Reps are voting members of the BODTerm: 3 year term: 2 years as Regional Rep, followed by one year as Immediate Past Regional Rep (the "Immediate Past" role is non-voting)
Reproductive Justice Anti-Racism Committee Chair
The Reproductive Justice Anti-Racism Committee Chair shall:
Participate in monthly RJ/AR meetings
Attend monthly BOD meetings and advise the BOD on issues related to Reproductive Justice & Anti-Racism
Provide Quarterly communication with CNMA members regarding committee activity
Interface with American College of Nurse-Midwives and their current committees focusing on racial and reproductive justice issues
Coordinate collaboration with other professional groups on issues related to anti-racism and racism-based health disparities work
Voting Status: RJ/AR Chair is a voting member of the BODTerm: 3 year term: 2 years as RJAR committee chair, followed by one year as Immediate Past RJAR Committee Chair (the "Immediate Past" role is non-voting)
White Antiracism Chair
Started in 2009 in response to a call for action from and for CNMA white identifying BOD members to be supporting, educating and working on antiracism within our organization in an effort to be a more antiracist organization and also to take the burden of work off our colleagues of color to educate and support us. Affinity groups have long been a supportive part of antiracism work.We are looking for someone to lead this group. No experience required. Only humility and dedication to social justice.
Nominating Committee (two positions open)
It is a 3-year term with a 2-term limit. The time commitment for the nominating committee is limited each year – the responsibilities include finding eligible candidates for all open board positions and conducting the election – creating and sending out ballots electronically, and then counting the ballots. This process will take place in the second half of the calendar year, with the search for candidates to take place before the November 1st date when ballots will be sent out.
Bylaws Consultant
Interested in joining the Board of Directors?
Please contact the CNMA President for more information:
Amita Graham, (1-415-516-5407), president@cnma.org
Rural Maternal Health now on CONNECT
We've just started a new community on ACNM’s CONNECT networking platform for anyone interested in rural maternal health issues. This is a collaborative space for all those interested in advancing equitable, high-quality maternity care in rural communities. This all-members forum is set up to share resources, identify workforce and access challenges, highlight innovative models of care, and foster professional support among midwives serving rural populations. Please join, introduce yourself, and post your thoughts and questions about any rural maternal health issue you would like to explore. If you currently work in a rural setting, please share with us your day-to-day challenges, struggles, and triumphs, as well as your joyful moments and strategies for providing maternal/newborn care. We’re here to offer support and help you find ways to make your personal and professional life easier. Any questions on how to join, contact Melanie Cabezas Phipps at connect@acnm.org.
Education, Trainings, Webinars, and More
10th Annual Reproductive Mental Health Conference
This year's course will include topics on menopause, sexual health, body image, environmental toxins, perinatal Asian mental health and much more.
Date: November 13, 2026
Location: Pritzker Auditorium at UCSF Mission Bay
675 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94107
Onsite and Remote Learning Options
The course will be offered as a live conference. Registrants have the option to attend in person or to tune in remotely via zoom live stream during programming hours (Pacific Time). Login instructions along with the digital syllabus will be shared with attendees before the meeting. You must tune in to the live conference (in person or remotely) to claim CME.
Course Directors:
Patricia A. Robertson, MD, Anna Glezer, MD, Gowri Aragam, MD
Planning Committee Members
Theresia Oklan, PhD, PMH-C, Ali Starling, CNM
Call For Proposals - Apply Today!
The UCSF Reproductive Mental Health Conference Planning Committee invites you to submit your proposal for a 20 minute in person presentation (15 minute talk, 5 minute Q+A) at our upcoming conference on Friday, November 13, 2026. Please submit your application no later than June 1, 2026.
Workforce Development & Educational Support (WDES)
May 2025 Committee Updates
The Workforce Development and Education Support Committee updates for April 2026 activities include:
The California Department of Health Care Access and Information presented on Rural Health Transformation Program initiatives, including midwifery education and rural health OB fellowships for family medicine and advanced practice clinicians. You can view the recording from April 21, 2026 here.
The Board of Registered Nursing’s Nurse-Midwifery Advisory Committee was scheduled to meet on April 28, 2026 but due to a lack of quorum, the meeting was not held and will be re-scheduled.
Questions about these WDES announcements or the work of WDES more generally can reach out to kim.dau@gmail.com!
LAST Chance! Join TEACH for our 4th Annual Reproductive Health and Justice in Primary Care Conference
Saturday, May 9th
Location: Berkeley, CA (with virtual attendance options available)
Register here today!
This year, we have amazing panels and workshops for our attendees such as:
Panels:
Enhancing Pregnancy Options for LGBTQ+ Communities
The 4th Trimester: Postpartum Justice
Herbal Abortion & Support
Abortion Heroes: M&A Hotline, SMA
Workshops:
Stigma & Counseling
MAB 101 in person (and online)
Telehealth MABs in Brick & Mortar Settings
Don't miss this opportunity to:
Learn from experts in the field of reproductive health and justice.
Stay up-to-date on current research and knowledge.
Participate in virtual and in-person workshops on essential skills.
Network with colleagues in the Reproductive Health and Justice (RHRJ) space.
Learn and grow in community.
Registration is now open! Please register for the conference and join us for an important day filled with learning, networking, and fun!
There are Conference Sponsorship opportunities available for organizations to support this conference. Please click here to learn more about how to become a sponsor for the 4th Annual TEACH Conference!
On-Demand Webinars and Other Resources
Announcing the Reproductive Health Services Corps Accelerator Program
In addition to the amazing virtual and in-person abortion trainings offered regularly by CNMA. We wanted you know about another exciting new program TEACH is launching! We're thrilled to announce the launch of the RHSC Accelerator Program @ TEACH, a groundbreaking initiative funded by the Reproductive Health Services Corps grant. This program is designed for existing healthcare providers (MD, DO, NP, CNM, PA) within California seeking to expand their skills and offer comprehensive reproductive health services, including abortion care.
Key Program Benefits:
Customized Training: Tailored to your specific needs and goals.
Financial Support: Funding available to help you complete your training
Comprehensive Curriculum: Access to didactic components for providing medical and procedural abortions, and options counseling
Clinical Rotation Opportunities: Gain hands-on experience in a supportive environment.
On-Site Training: We can host training sessions at your practice for your team.
Ready to take the next step?
Learn more: visit the TEACH Website to learn more about the initiative.
Or apply directly here.
Rural providers and those who represent and care for underserved communities will be given top priority.
Bethany Golden & Megan Kumar
Co-Directors Reproductive Health Services Corps @ TEACH.
ReproHH: Free, On-Demand, Clinician-to-Clinician Support for Reproductive Health
We are thrilled to announce the launch of ReproHH: a FREE, confidential hotline for healthcare providers nationwide! Whether you’re a clinician or a community health worker, you can now connect with specialists based out of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) to discuss your sexual and reproductive health questions - all by phone. ReproHH’s team of physicians is here as a trusted partner to minimize the need for referrals to specialists, avoid unnecessary treatments, and enhance healthcare outcomes.
Call ReproHH today at 1-844-ReproHH (1-844-737-7644).
ReproHH is available Monday – Friday, 8 am - 4 pm PT (11 am – 7 pm ET), excluding holidays.
Learn more and review our terms of service at reprohh.ucsf.edu.
Job Opportunities
Two Openings at the Black Midwifery Fellowship
We are sharing 2 midwifery fellowship openings for the Black Midwifery Fellowship (BMF) in California. The BMF is a comprehensive full scope post graduate midwifery fellowship open to all with a focus on abortion training. More information about the fellowship, job description, requirements & how to apply can be found on our website here. Questions? submit here!
A few highlights below:
The BMF in California is a one-year non-renewable fellowship recruiting two certified nurse-midwives (CNM) positions as clinical instructors at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine. Salary is expected to be $129,850 for 70% FTE effort (average of 28 hours a week). Fellows are paid and eligible for benefits in accordance with university policy. The incoming candidates will provide full scope nurse-midwifery clinical care including antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum, family planning services, with a focus in abortion. The BMF is led by exceptional advanced practice providers and features practice-based learning, didactic education, mentorship and scholarly projects. The program is designed for new graduates (within 24 months of program completion) to expand the knowledge and skills acquired during graduate or doctoral training. Throughout the course of the fellowship year, a fellow can expect ongoing mentorship and engagement in self-assessment and performance feedback framed in practice-based knowledge, skills and attitudes. The program is a one-year commitment expected to run from Summer/Fall 2026-2027. Each fellow is expected to complete midwifery-based training with didactic and focused clinical rotations.
The name of our fellowship is a legacy tribute to Black Midwives in the United States. Prior to the Civil War abortion and contraceptive care were legal, and Black Midwives provided community-based care inclusive of abortion care and reproductive health care to all communities. Post legalized enslavement there was a public and national smearing campaign of Black Midwives in the obstetric field as physicians sought capital gain, recognition, and a professional monopoly. These actions excluded the advancement and continued work of Black Midwives in this country as a trusted provider, especially in Black communities. Additionally, midwifery governing organizations barred Black people from membership, further severing Black Midwives from their own communities. With the loss of Black Midwifery, there was also loss of cultural safety, respect, wisdom, truth-telling, and the nurturance that Black midwives provide to communities. Today, less than 9% of US midwives are Black. There is no way to correct the harms of these actions, though there is repair work to be done now. The Black Midwifery Fellowship in California is one form of this.
SF Birth Center Opportunity
Hello friends and colleagues,
I am planning to step down from my role as Director and midwife at the SF Birth Center at the end of 2026. As we begin thinking about the next phase of the birth center, we are looking for someone who is passionate about the birth center model of care and who has an entrepreneurial spirit—someone who might be interested in picking up the baton and building a practice for the next decade (and beyond).
This is not a traditional job announcement. Rather than a salaried position, this is an invitation to explore what you are interested in creating and how you might bring your vision to life. While we certainly have ideas about what a birth center practice might look like, the future direction would be shaped by your vision.
Importantly, this is not something you would need to build from scratch. The right person or team would be supported in two key ways:
Mentorship and operational support. My team and I will support and mentor you as you develop your vision, sharing our experience about what has worked in the past, the current state and national landscape for birth centers, the health insurance environment, business considerations, and more. The practice already has many core systems in place, including communication platforms, charting, administrative processes, and hospital relationships.
Facility and foundation support. The SF Birth Center facility is owned by the SF Birth Center Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with two primary roles. First, it manages the facility itself, holding the lease and overseeing needs such as cleaning, supplies, and improvements. Equally important, the board of directors is active and successful in fundraising and community engagement. In addition to supporting the facility, the foundation can help supplement certain aspects of care at the birth center and support special projects aligned with its mission.
If this resonates with you, or if you simply have questions, please feel free to reach out. And if you know someone who might be interested, I would be grateful if you shared this with them.
With joy and affection,
Nancy Myrick, CNMA
Director
San Francisco Birth Center
415-902-7969
Attention All LA County CNMs: Planned Parenthood Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley is Hiring!
Come join our group of rad clinicians who are providing inclusive reproductive health care in Northeast LA and the SGV. Our visits are wide-ranging: contraception, STIs and infection checks, well-person exams, breast concerns, gender-affirming care, medication abortion and ultrasound, and procedural abortion. We provide Pep and Prep, syphilis treatment, colposcopy and we offer LARC placement with IV sedation or nitrous oxide (coming soon!)
We provide thorough onboarding and have a tight-knit, supportive clinician group with midwifery leadership. PPPSGV's care is trauma-informed and patient-centered, with autonomy at the core. We are looking for a float clinician who likes something different each day.
More info found HERE!
Questions? email Sarah Egan, CNM, Director of Medical Services at segan@pppsgv.org.
(Want the scoop? email Mary Kern, CNM, FNP at mkern@pppsgv.org)
Birth Center Opportunities for New Grads
Practicing in a supportive birth center alongside experienced midwives can be transformative, building skills and confidence. All of the birth centers listed below (some located in rural areas) offer Fellowships or hiring opportunities for new graduates wishing to practice full-scope midwifery in a birth center setting. Please reach out for more information. Full disclosure: The listing below is a preliminary draft and does not contain the full information on the possibilities of each site. When you make contact, ask each site lots of questions, such as, 'Is there a stipend?' Do you offer loan repayment? Is the ability to speak Spanish an absolute requirement, or do you also have translators? How flexible is the timing and length of the Fellowship?
For any questions regarding this list, please contact Melanie Cabezas Phipps at mphippsm@gmail.com.
Birth centers offering Fellowships or hiring new graduates:
Acorn Community Birth and Wellness Center in Fallbrook, CA. We are a CPM/CNM practice in the process of obtaining CABC accreditation and are always open to new midwives who would like to work at a higher-volume birth center serving a diverse ethnic and socio-economic population. We are Medicaid providers and, as such, see a greater diversity of immigrant, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and lower socio-economic communities. Located between San Diego and Riverside Counties. Contact Cristi Lewis LM, CPM, Executive Director, at midwives@acornbirthcenter.com.
Astoria Birth Center & Family Medicine, a rural practice on the Oregon coast. Contact: Rebeckah Orton
The Birth Center in Newark, Delaware. Contact Julia Paulus
El Rio Health in Tucson, Arizona. Federally Qualified Health Center (FHQC) with a Fellowship program. We attend births in a hospital that has a CABC-accredited Alongside Midwifery Unit adjacent to an L&D unit, a good experience for physiologic birth, water births, newborn care, and early discharge. Contact: Greta Gill at GretaG@elrio.org
Full Circle Birth Center in Kasson, Minnesota. Contact: AnneMarie Schwanke
Holy Family Services Birth Center, located in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Fellowships are available to new graduates or seasoned nurse-midwives who wish to gain experience in out-of-hospital births and solidify their midwifery training. We are an HRSA-designated site, which allows eligible staff to qualify for the Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program. Fellows serve for a minimum of 6 months - 2 years and are provided with stipends and housing. Contact: Brandi Kennedy at 956-969-2538.
The Midwife Center, Pittsburgh, PA. Contact: Emily McGahey, CNM
Nativiti Family Birth Center in The Woodlands, Texas (Houston suburb). We are open to hiring new grads and would love to offer fellowship opportunities (do not have that program at this time but would be open). Contact admin@nativiti.com Jami Hain, CNM
New Birth Wellness Center/New Birth Midwifery in Chaska, Minnesota. Contact: Jennifer Hall
Tender Gifts Birth & Wellness Center in Fort Collins and Grand Junction, Colorado. Contact: Althea Hrdlichka, hello@tendergiftsbirth.com, 866.218.5769
Twin Cities Birth Center + Women's Health Clinic, St. Paul, MN. 9-month fellowship program for CNMs and CPMs. Paid fellowship with health benefits, an education stipend, and paid time off. Contact: stephanie@twincitiesbc.com
To Our California Midwives:
Are you a birth center midwife OR a midwife who works in a rural setting? Do you offer Fellowships or hire new grads? Midwives at the American Association of Birth Centers and the American College of Nurse-Midwives are compiling a Grand List, which will be distributed nationwide to our students and new midwifery grads who have expressed an interest in pursuing a midwifery Fellowship or working in a birth center, especially those in rural areas. Birth center Fellowships in urban settings are a great resource, too! This is a super opportunity to promote your beautiful birth center to those wishing to gain experience and confidence in practicing full-scope midwifery in a community setting. Please tell us where you are, what you can offer to new graduates, and a little something about your setting to Melanie Cabezas Phipps: mphippsm@gmail.com
Additional Information
Legal Aid at Work: Training on Paid Leave and Accommodations for Pregnant People
Hi everyone,
Thank you so much for joining Legal Aid at Work for our training on Paid Leave and Accommodations for Pregnant People, New Parents, and Family Caregivers in 2025. A recording of our training is available in English here, and in Spanish here, and the slides are available here.
Please feel free to refer low-paid patients and clients working in California to our Work and Family Helpline at 800-880-8047, confidential advice on workplace protections related to pregnancy, caregiving, or health conditions. Additionally, providers and community partners may call our helpline for technical assistance, or to request a training.
Email Katie (kwutchiett@legalaidatwork.org) or Natalia (ngottschalk@legalaidatwork.org) with questions or requests..
Here are some of the materials we highlighted:
Basic rights for parents: Pregnancy/Parenting +My Job in California (and San Francisco)
Step by step guide for parents: Pregnancy + My Job Roadmap and Guide
Videos: 10-15 minute video for pregnant folks and parents (in English, Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Mandarin, Cantonese, Arabic, Farsi, Panjabi, and Armenian)
You can also visit our website for additional factsheets on workplace rights for NICU families, foster parents, LGBTQ+ families, federal employees, family caregivers, dads, those experiencing reproductive loss, survivors of domestic violence, and more. Printed copies of our materials can be requested here.
Our goal is to make sure that families, especially those who are paid low wages, can access the leave and accommodations they need for their health and their family’s health without having to sacrifice their jobs or income. Don’t hesitate to reach out if there’s anything we can do to partner in this work!
All our best,
LAAW’s Work and Family Team
(Franchesca, Julia, Katie, Natalia, Sela, Sharon, Shazzy, and Victoria)
Volunteer Opportunities
Did You Have a Hard Time Finding a Preceptor?
To our new California midwifery grads: CONGRATULATIONS on finishing your midwifery program! We are so proud and happy for you. Please remind yourself often of the great significance of your accomplishment and give yourself a big hug.
CNMA’s Workforce Development and Educational Support (Co-chairs Melanie Cabezas Phipps and Kim Dau) are aware that many midwifery students, particularly those in distance-learning programs, have expressed (and continue to express) frustration, delays, and stress in finding preceptors. This is not a new issue, and we are actively working to improve the situation. California is the state with the most midwives of any state in our nation, so our work here impacts the entire profession. Let’s organize to change things so that our current and future students don't have to go through what so many of us did. With your help, we can make a difference.
Tell us your narratives. If you had difficulty finding preceptors, please share your experience with us by emailing Melanie at mphippsm@gmail.com. What issues did you have? What happened, what could have happened and didn't (or did), what should have happened, what worked/didn't work, how would you like to see things change? Your thoughts, suggestions, and insights are greatly appreciated. All responses are kept in confidence.
Medi-Cal Rx
Sign up for the Medi-Cal Rx Subscription Service to be notified when new information is posted! See additional bulletins and news updates below:
Midwife Crush Mondays!
Do you know an amazing Midwife who is doing revolutionary work? We want to feature them on our social media platforms!
CNMA is looking for submissions for our new social media series “Midwife Crush Monday” where we highlight the stories of trailblazing midwives across the industry who are making a difference in the midwifery profession. You can even submit yourself!
Here’s what we’re looking for:
Midwife’s name (include pronouns)
Affiliated organization(s)
Why you became a midwife (and anything awesome you’d like to brag about)
Headshot/Photo if available
Bonus: Please include social media handles for tagging!
Please send submissions to sm@cnma.org for consideration!
You're receiving this communication because you are a current or former member of the ACNM/CNMA or because you signed up from the CNMA website.
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