Governments Should Promote Community Midwifery To Boost Quality Childbirth Care Access, International Organizations Say

Main Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Also Included In: Pregnancy / Obstetrics;  Nursing / Midwifery;  Caregivers / Homecare
Article Date: 18 Dec 2006 - 9:00 PDT

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The U.N. Population Fund, the World Health Organization, the International Confederation of Midwives and partner organizations on Tuesday at the first International Forum on Midwifery in the Community in Hammamet, Tunisia, called on governments worldwide to promote midwifery in local communities to address the lack of access to skilled childbirth care, the Associated Press of Pakistan reports (Associated Press of Pakistan, 12/13). According to UNFPA, half of the world's pregnant women are without access to skilled care at childbirth. The health of pregnant women and their infants has improved in Costa Rica, Egypt, Malaysia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Tunisia because of the countries' investment in midwives and related training, the agency says. In addition, significant improvements in maternal and newborn health have been seen in Northern Africa, eastern Asia, Southeast Asia and Latin America, UNFPA reported. According to the World Health Organization's "2005 World Health Report," about 334,000 more midwives are required to reduce maternal and infant disability and death (UN News Service, 12/12). UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid said, "A strong midwifery profession is key to achieving safer childbirth, and all pregnant women should have access to a midwife." Kathy Herschderfer, secretary-general of the International Confederation of Midwives, said, "Midwives form the bridge between communities and facilities," adding, "They transcend the levels of care within health systems and are essential to the continuum of care during the childbearing cycle" (UNFPA release, 12/12). Public health experts and midwives from 20 countries are attending the meeting (Associated Press of Pakistan, 12/13).

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