Midwives - central to providing quality care to mothers and newborns during COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

5 May 2020

Midwives are the trusted companions of women throughout their pregnancy, birth, and the period following child birth. They play a vital role to assist women to achieve healthy pregnancies and make pregnancy a positive experience. Safe and effective midwifery care can avert 83% of all maternal deaths, stillbirths, and newborn deaths. In India, each year 35 000 women die during pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal period; there are 272 000 stillbirths, and  562 000 babies die during the first month of their life. Midwifery care has the potential to prevent many of these deaths.

Frontline health workers including midwives are at the forefront of COVID-19 response, going beyond their call of duty and risking their own lives to provide essential health services. Amidst these challenges, midwives are providing quality midwifery care to women and newborns in health facilities or the field, safeguarding public health. Midwifery as a service recognizes pregnancy, labour, birth and post-natal period as a healthy and profound experience that a woman goes through in her life.

“India has over two million nurse-midwives and nearly 900 000 Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs). In its extraordinary leadership in midwifery, in addition to the already existing workforce, the Government of India has committed to an additional 85 000 midwives by 2023. WHO applauds this move and recognizes investment in midwifery services as an investment towards health for all. In 2020, as the first batch of professional midwives initiate their training, WHO takes pride in supporting the government in the design and implementation of this policy initiative. India is progressing rapidly and there is a strong momentum for furthering quality midwifery services across the country”, said Dr Henk Bekedam, WHO Representative to India.

This photo story captures midwives in action, assisting pregnant women throughout their pregnancy, and providing care to newborns.

Data sources: "Health Management Information System (HMIS) 2018-19,Sample Registration System (SRS) Statistical Report 2017, and Trends in Maternal Mortality: 2000–2017. Estimates by WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, World  Bank Group and the United Nations Population Division1."


Photograph shared by: Society of Midwives- India (SOMI)
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Midwives - central to providing quality care to mothers and newborns during COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

The Government of India recommends at least four antenatal care (ANC) visits to ascertain the well-being of the mother and the unborn child. Antenatal care is imperative to provide support and information to expecting mothers on maintaining a healthy lifestyle, family planning, and preventing and managing complications if any.

Chhaya De, Nurse Practioner in Midwifery, working in Janka primary health centre (PHC) in West Bengal, monitoring the fetal heart rate of an expectant mother who is soon to enter into the labour. During March and April, she has assisted more than 45 pregnant women to give birth naturally, while ensuring their safety and the safety of their babies, amidst challenges of COVID 19 pandemic.

Photograph shared by: Society of Midwives- India (SOMI)
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Midwives - central to providing quality care to mothers and newborns during COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

Palagudu Vijayasree, a midwife working in Telangana, is an expert in the alternative birthing methods.

 “Making an expectant mother comfortable during the labor is my foremost priority. I assist and guide the expectant mother to deliver the child in a position she is most comfortable in,” said Palagau Vijaysree, who has been in this profession from the last 25 years.

Photograph shared by: Society of Midwives- India (SOMI)
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Midwives - central to providing quality care to mothers and newborns during COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

Palagudu Vijayasree with a pregnant women during an antenatal exercise session in a hospital in Telangana.

Photograph shared by: Society of Midwives- India (SOMI)
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Midwives - central to providing quality care to mothers and newborns during COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

As the labor pain sets in, Chhaye De, Nurse Practioner in Midwifery, working in Janka primary health center (PHC) in West Bengal, is seen monitoring uterine contractions and fetal heart rate of an expectant mother.

Photograph shared by: Society of Midwives- India (SOMI)
© Credits

Midwives - central to providing quality care to mothers and newborns during COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

Chhaya De, Nurse Practioner in Midwifery, conducting the pelvic examination of a pregnant woman to monitor the progress of labor.

Photograph shared by: Society of Midwives- India (SOMI)
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Midwives - central to providing quality care to mothers and newborns during COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

Chhaya De, Nurse Practioner in Midwifery, initiating immediate breast feeding and skin-to-skin contact between the mother and her newborn.

Midwives also educate mothers on the importance of breastfeeding, ensuring proper nutrition during lactation, and maintaining personal hygiene, to keep infections at bay.

Photograph shared by: Society of Midwives- India (SOMI)
© Credits

Midwives - central to providing quality care to mothers and newborns during COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

Bhanumati, a midwife working in Gujarat guiding a pregnant woman about different birthing positions.

From conception till at least six weeks after birth, midwives provide an array of health care services such as antenatal registration, routine check-ups, counselling, intake of iron-folic acid tablets, labor, and post-natal care such as helping the mother in breastfeeding. Midwives counsel the mothers so that they can make informed choices about all aspects of ante-natal, labor, and post-natal care.

**Photograph taken in 2019, before the outbreak of COVID-19**

Photograph shared by: Society of Midwives- India (SOMI)
© Credits

Midwives - central to providing quality care to mothers and newborns during COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

Midwives wearing masks and other personal protective equipment, while handling a new born in a public health center in Telangana.

“We are taking all precautionary infection prevention and control measures to keep the women and babies safe.  We are washing hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub before and after examining women and babies; wearing personal protective equipment; and ensuring that the labor room and new born care areas are effectively sanitized,” shared Palagudu Vijayasree, a midwife working in Telangana.

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