UNITED NATIONS — Global health leaders at Women Deliver, the world’s largest maternal health conference, have called on the G-8 and G-20 to dramatically increase investments in midwifery services in developing countries.
“The world needs midwives now more than ever. Countries need to make midwifery a priority in plans and budgets. No woman should die giving life and we need to move from speech lines to budget lines,” said Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Executive Director of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.
Each year, hundreds of thousands of women die in developing countries as a result of pregnancy and childbirth, and over three million newborns do not survive the first week of life. Many of these deaths result from the simple fact that there is a severe lack of trained personnel with midwifery skills to assist women during pregnancy and childbirth. It is estimated that midwives could help avert over 90 percent of all maternal deaths if they are well trained and empowered to apply their skills.
“The Call to Action requests that Governments develop clear standards on midwifery education and regulation in order to provide effective midwifery services. The global health community is speaking with one voice, demanding that both donors and governments step up their investment in midwifery. Progress has been too slow,” said Bridget Lynch, President of the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM).
In countries that have achieved dramatic improvements in maternal mortality rates, professionally trained midwives have been a key to success. Yet today, the training of midwives is inconsistent and the profession of midwifery often garners little recognition, meager income and limited career opportunities. These factors contribute to the acute shortage of these valuable health workers.
The Global Call to Action encourages governments to focus on the specific steps needed to strengthen midwifery services. These include: improving education and training; strengthening laws, regulations and midwifery associations; and enhancing the recruitment and retention of midwives. If these actions are prioritized in all countries, rapid progress is possible towards achieving the health-related Millennium Development Goals and reducing child death, improving maternal health and combating HIV and AIDS, according to the Call.
Midwives are a critical part of a functioning health system that delivers for women and children. Beyond assisting with pregnancy and childbirth, they can address a variety of issues, including provision of family planning, care for newborns and children, nutritional support and prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
