Become a Midwife

We need more midwives. On a global scale, a lack of midwives is a healthcare emergency. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and other groups, maternal mortality is the “highest health inequity in the world.”

Ninety-nine percent of women who die in childbirth do so in the developing world; 50% of these deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa. WHO estimates that we need 350,000 more midwives worldwide to meet this crisis. According to the International Confederation of Midwives there are currently about 250,000 licensed midwives, 13,000 in sub-Saharan Africa.

We also need more midwives in the US where approximately 10,000 midwives attend just 10% of births, or 430,000 a year. Scientific evidence suggests that women with normal pregnancies should be cared for by midwives

CULTURALLY COMPETENT CARE

The International Center for Traditional Childbearing (ICTC) has graduated 300 midwives, but many more are needed, especially in the African American community as evidence suggests that women of color birth best with midwives of color. ICTC also offers culturally competent doula training, Full Circle Doulas. One of the criteria for a mother friendly birth is that a birthing mother receive culturally competent care.

ICTC spokesperson and Grammy winner, Erykah Badu, on Full Circle Doula Training

MIDWIFERY TRAINING AT COMMUNITY COLLEGES

One of the most exciting new models of direct entry midwifery education in the US is at Southwest Tech in Fennimore, Wisconsin, where one can earn an associate degree in direct entry midwifery that combines classroom instruction with the apprenticeship model. A program of this nature is accessible to many students because it offers tuition assistance, affordable housing and liaison with preceptors.

ENCOURAGE YOUNG WOMEN TO BECOME MIDWIVES

We often see midwives as a good choice, but seldom do we realize how life saving their model of care really is. If we are to decrease our rates of medical interventions in the US during birth and improve our poor rates of infant and maternal mortality, we will need more midwives. Let’s encourage young women in our communities to see midwifery as a viable and powerful career choice.

MIDWIFERY EDUCATION RESOURCES

Here are some resources for those who are considering midwifery as a profession:

For an aspiring midwife FAQ, see Midwifery Education Accreditation Council.

For information on Certified Midwives and Certified Nurse Midwives see The American College of Nurse Midwives.

For information on Certified Professional Midwives. see The National Association of Certified Professional Midwives.

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Peggy O’Mara is the editor and publisher of peggyomara.com. She founded Mothering.com in 1995 and was its editor-in chief until 2012. She was the editor and publisher of Mothering Magazine from 1980 to 2011. The author of Having a Baby Naturally; Natural Family Living; The Way Back Home; and A Quiet Place, Peggy has conducted workshops at Omega Institute, Esalen, La Leche League, and Bioneers. She is the mother of four and grandmother of two.