Additionally, among women receiving this type of care, rates of spontaneous vaginal deliveries increased, while episiotomies and use of forceps during childbirth declined, indicating potential reductions in the use of unnecessary medical interventions.“When midwives are skilled and empowered to provide high-quality respectful care, they can provide the vital ongoing support that women and newborns so much need and value,” said Allisyn Moran, Head of Maternal Health within the Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health at WHO.“Building close and trusted partnerships between women and midwives is one of the critical opportunities from reorienting health systems towards midwifery care models, in addition to providing clear health benefits and greater access to lifesaving healthcare.”The publication stresses the importance of ensuring high quality training for midwives alongside regulation, licensing, and essential infrastructure, supplies and other kinds of support, to ensure high-quality services.It is also essential that midwives work within well-functioning interdisciplinary teams so that they can collaborate with other healthcare workers such as nurses, obstetricians, community health workers, and paediatricians.Investing in midwifery models of care provides benefits in all countries, but is likely to provide the most impact in poorer countries and humanitarian and crisis settings where the majority of newborn and maternal deaths occur.To facilitate the adoption of midwifery models of care in countries, WHO is currently developing a detailed guidance document for implementation that will be released in 2025.
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