Expanding Midwifery Care Globally Can Save Thousands of Lives

Strategic Insights -

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released a report emphasizing the importance of midwifery care in improving maternal and newborn health globally. Expanding and investing in midwifery models of care can be an effective strategy to reduce access barriers and improve health outcomes, particularly in rural or conflict-affected regions. Midwives worldwide work diligently to provide a continuum of care to women, including care surrounding sexual and reproductive health, pregnancy, childbirth, and postnatal care.

Key Takeaways:

  • Midwifery models of care can reduce access barriers for women in rural or conflict-affected regions where hospitals may not be accessible.
  • The global shortage of around one million midwives requires concentrated and cross-sectoral action to reverse.
  • Increasing the number of midwives worldwide requires policy action across many sectors, including health and education, in addition to advocacy campaigns.
  • Implementing midwifery models of care can lead to improved maternal and newborn health outcomes, as demonstrated by a campaign in the West Bank.
  • In Morocco, a 2016 legislation defined midwifery for the first time in the country, highlighting the need for policymakers to work together with advocacy groups.
  • Midwifery models of care can have longer-term effects, enhancing women's and families' experiences of care and building trusted partnerships for health.

Statistics:

  • 1 million: The global shortage of midwives.
  • 20%: The decrease in unplanned caesarean sections in the West Bank.
  • 21%: The decline in preterm birth rates in the West Bank.
  • 2013-2016: The period during which the campaign in the West Bank expanded midwifery services to six regional hospitals and 37 villages.
  • 6: The number of regional hospitals in the West Bank that had expanded midwifery services.
  • 37: The number of villages in the West Bank with expanded midwifery services.

Sources:

  • World Health Organization (WHO) report (no date provided)
  • Dr. Anshu Banerjee, director for maternal, child and adolescent health and ageing at WHO (http://www.who.int/en/)
  • Ulrika Rehnstrom Loi, midwifery expert at WHO
  • Anna Ugglas, Chief Executive of the International Confederation of Midwives
  • International Confederation of Midwives (http://www.internationalmidwives.org/)
  • The Association of Midwives in Morocco (no date provided)
  • Palestinian Red Crescent Society (no date provided)
  • Palestine Committee of Norway (no date provided)
  • Palestinian Ministry of Health (no date provided)
  • World Health Organization (WHO) - http://www.who.int/en/
  • MIL OSI United Nations News (http://milnz.co.nz/mil-osi-aggregation/) - Copyright 2025 Multimedia Investments Ltd, distributed by Contify.com