Robyn Schafer, PhD, MEd, MSN, CNM, CNE, IBCLC, FACNM

Associate Professor

Division of Advanced Nursing Practice

Newark Health Sciences

SSB 1119C

(973) 972-6863

Specialty: Midwifery, perinatal care, obstetrics, lactation

  • Advancing Clinical Outcomes Through Innovation
  • Maternal, Child, and Family Health
  • Population and Global Health
  • Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences

Robyn Schafer, PhD, CNM, FACNM, is Associate Professor at Rutgers School of Nursing (Division of Advanced Nursing Practice) and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences). She is a nurse-midwife, educator, and scholar committed to advancing evidence-based, person-centered reproductive and perinatal care. Dr. Schafer earned degrees from Boston University (BA, MEd), Yale University (MSN), and Vanderbilt University (PhD). She is a Fellow of the American College of Nurse-Midwives and holds certifications as a Certified Nurse Educator and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. Dr. Schafer’s research examines how individuals navigate complex or constrained choices in reproductive and perinatal care, using qualitative and mixed-methods approaches to improve communication, support informed choice, and advance respectful, evidence-based practice. Her work contributes to interdisciplinary efforts to promote autonomy, equity, and ethical care across diverse clinical settings.

Education & Training

  • Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Nursing Science – Vanderbilt University
  • Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Nurse-Midwifery – Yale University
  • Master of Education (MEd), Policy, Planning, and Administration – Boston University
  • Bachelor of Arts (BA), Journalism and Cultural Studies – Boston University

Recent Research Activities/Funded Projects

  • NJ Midwifery Education Project. New Jersey Department of Health. Expanding and diversifying New Jersey’s midwifery workforce through improved preceptor training and education infrastructure.
  • Reproductive Training and Education Initiative. New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. Supporting statewide reproductive health education for advanced practice providers and students.

Recent Publications

  • Wilpers, A.B., Kobler, K., Schafer, R., Wilpers, M., Zeme, M., Batten, J., Canty, L., & Lorch, S.A. (2025). Dobbs-driven expansion of perinatal palliative care: A scoping review of the evidence and its limits. Health Affairs Scholar, qxaf081. https://doi.org/10.1093/haschl/qxaf081
  • Schafer, R., & Phillippi, J.C. (2025). Updating and advancing member-checking methods: Use of video and asynchronous technology to optimize participant engagement. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 24. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069251315395
  • Schafer, R., Bovbjerg, M.L., Cheyney, M., & Phillippi, J.C. (2024). Maternal and neonatal outcomes associated with breech presentation in planned community (home and birth center) births in the United States: A prospective observational cohort study. PLOS ONE, 19(7), e0305587. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0305587
  • Basile-Ibrahim, B., Combellick, J., Mead, T.L., Sorensen, A., Batten, J., & Schafer, R. (2024). The social context of pregnancy, respectful maternity care, biomarkers of weathering, and postpartum mental health inequities: A scoping review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(4), 480. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21040480
  • Schafer, R., Dietrich, M.S., Kennedy, H.P., Mulvaney, S., & Phillippi, J.C. (2023). “I had no choice”: A mixed-methods study on access to care for vaginal breech birth. Birth, 51(4), 413–423. https://doi.org/10.1111/birt.12797

Additional publications: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ui90MywAAAAJ&hl=en

ORCID ID Number: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0938-7726