Global Midwife Shortage: Nearly 1 Million Missing, Women at Risk
A global shortage of almost a million midwives is leaving pregnant women without the basic care they need, which can lead to harm and even the deaths of mothers and babies, according to new research.
Nearly half of this shortage is in Africa, where nine out of ten women live in countries that don’t have enough midwives.
Anna af Ugglas, chief executive of the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) and a study author, said, “Nearly 1 million missing midwives means health systems are stretched too thin. Midwives are overworked and underpaid, and care becomes rushed and doesn’t always meet a woman’s needs.”
“This increases intervention rates,and women are more likely to experience poor care or mistreatment,” she said. “It’s not just a workforce issue; it’s a quality and safety issue for women and babies.”
The study found that to provide safe, good-quality care to all women before, during, and after pregnancy, 980,000 more midwives are needed across 181 countries. Read more about the study here.
Previous research shows that if everyone had access to care from a midwife, two-thirds of maternal and newborn deaths and stillbirths could be prevented, saving 4.3 million lives each year by 2035. Learn more about this research.
The ICM says the problem isn’t just a lack of training programs for midwives.Manny countries also aren’t hiring trained midwives or keeping the ones they have working in healthcare.
Prof Jacqueline Dun