International Midwives’ Day was first celebrated May 5, 1991, and has since been observed in over 50 nations around the world. The idea of having a day to recognize and honor midwives came out of the 1987 International Confederation of Midwives conference in the Netherlands.

Midwifery is a health care profession in which providers offer care to childbearing women during pregnancy, labor and birth, during the postpartum period, and between pregnancies. Practitioners also help care for the newborn and assist the mother with breastfeeding. They provide birth control, education and prescriptions for well-woman health care as well.

Source: Text: www.cute-calendar.com Image: Pinterest

Midwives perform a vital service in providing care and support to women and their families while pregnant, throughout labour and during the period after a baby’s birth.  

On this day, we celebrate the role of midwives across the WHO European Region, recognizing in particular the importance of educating, training, regulating and licensing midwives to improve quality of care and to reduce maternal and newborn mortality.  

We also showcase WHO/Europe’s work in raising levels of midwifery education in the Region; creating evidence-based knowledge on midwifery; and influencing national policies that will lead to the provision of high-quality, accessible, equitable, efficient and sensitive health services.

Source: Text: https://www.who.int/europe/event/international-day-of-the-midwife