Janelle Potts, CNM, MSN She/her
5050 NE Hoyt Street, Suite 210 Ste 210, Portland, OR 97213
Janelle Potts, CNM, is a certified nurse-midwife at Women’s Healthcare Associates in Portland, Oregon.
From the Provider
“I love helping people understand their own bodies. So much of what we talk about—periods, birth control, pregnancy, menopause—can feel mysterious when no one has ever explained what’s actually happening.”
About the Provider
Janelle has been fascinated by birth for as long as she can remember. As a child, she vividly remembers checking out a library book that showed a dog giving birth and being completely captivated. Years later, an anthropology professor who was also a midwife introduced her to a model of care that felt deeply aligned with her values: person-centered, relationship-based and focused on the individual experience rather than letting people get lost in the healthcare system.
That combination of curiosity and connection still shapes the way Janelle practices. She provides full-scope midwifery care and especially enjoys pregnancy and birth care, adolescent gynecology and contraception counseling. Even after years in practice, she is still in awe of pregnancy and birth—“how humans grow babies is amazing.” She also loves the educational side of the work, helping people understand menstruation, how contraception works, changes during menopause and the wide range of what can be normal in the body.
Janelle is also mindful of how difficult healthcare can be to navigate, especially for people who face language or access barriers. She tries to slow things down, make sure people understand what is happening and help them find the care or information they need. For her, good midwifery care means being present with the person in front of her and making room for their questions, priorities and experience.
Outside of work, Janelle enjoys hiking, backpacking, running and just about anything that gets her outside. She is married, has an adult daughter, and shares home with a cat and dog.