Addressing Midwife Shortage Will Save the Lives of Millions of Women

The world is facing an acute shortage of midwives, a problem that has only worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the 2021 State of World’s Midwifery (SoWMy) report. The report—a collaboration between the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the World Health Organization, the International Confederation of Midwives, and partners—estimates a shortage of 900,000 midwives, one-third of the required global midwifery workforce.

Midwives deliver sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, and adolescent healthcare to women and children. Dr. Natalia Kanem, executive director of UNFPA, the UN’s sexual and reproductive health agency, said, “A capable, well-trained midwife can have an enormous impact on childbearing women and their families—an impact often passed on from one generation to the next.” 

Experts say prioritizing the sexual and reproductive health needs of women with fully funded midwife-delivered care would save an estimated 4.3 million lives per year. An analysis published in The Lancet concluded that a fully staffed workforce of midwives by 2035 would prevent 67% of maternal deaths, 64% of newborn deaths, and 65% of stillbirths.

While progress has been made since the last report in 2014, the situation remains dire. Current rates of progress will only slightly improve the shortage by 2030, according to the analysis in this year’s report. The report urges greater government investment in education and training, midwife-led service delivery, and midwifery leadership. Dr. Franka Cadée, president of the International Confederation of Midwives, said, “As autonomous, primary care providers, midwives are continually overlooked and ignored. It's time for governments to acknowledge the evidence surrounding the life-promoting, life-saving impact of midwife-led care, and take action on the SoWMy report's recommendations.”

Click here to read the full report.