Midwives – Making Communities and Economies Stronger, One Family At A Time

International Midwives Day May 5th

Midwives around the world celebrated International Day of the Midwife today with the theme Midwives: changing the world one family at a time.

New Zealand midwives joined the celebrations with events throughout the country, inviting colleagues and supporters to join them in recognising the far-reaching value of good maternity care.
International Day of the Midwife is organised by the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) and this year’s theme reflects the Confederation’s view that the care provided for mothers and babies by midwives, ensures that women are healthy, enabling them to contribute to strong communities and economies.

Karen Guilliland, Chief Executive of the New Zealand College of Midwives says good maternity care results in far reaching positive outcomes for families, communities and the wider economy.

“New Zealand has a well-developed maternity system and a highly educated and skilled midwifery workforce, contributing hugely to our low levels of infant and maternal mortality,” she says. “Midwives also play a vital part in supporting New Zealand families with the care they provide during pregnancy, birth and for up to six weeks after a baby is born.”

Worldwide, approximately 290,000 women ¹die each year as a result of pregnancy and childbirth complications and 3 million infants ²die within the first month of life. If every childbearing woman received care from a well-educated, adequately resourced midwife, most maternal and newborn deaths could be prevented, says the ICM.

New Zealand’s midwife led maternity model of care, means midwives provide continuity of care before, during and after birth, supporting the mother and her family.

Karen Guilliland says our high standard of living and an excellent maternity system ensure that the outcomes for mothers and babies in New Zealand are extremely good. However she sounds a word of caution.

“We should not be complacent. We know that too many women are not living in safe or healthy circumstances. Fortunately midwives are often in a position to intervene with the help of other appropriate professionals. Just as happens around the world, in New Zealand midwives continue to make communities and economies stronger, one family at a time.”

ENDS
References:
¹WHO, Maternal Mortality, Fact sheet No348, May 2012
²Save the Children, State of the World’s Mothers Report, 2013