A new report released by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) stresses the need to scale-up midwifery services in order to avert about 3.6 million maternal and child deaths each year. Vincent Fauveau, Senior Maternal Health Advisor with UNFPA, believes midwives are being sidelined by public health professionals despite their significance in improving maternal health outcomes. The first State of the World’s Midwifery Report released on June 20 at the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) 29th Congress states that most of the childbirth-related deaths and morbidities can be averted by the presence of a dynamic midwifery workforce. Fauveau estimates that for any improvement to occur some nations will be required to increase the number of midwives by six to 15 times. Pregnant women need access to affordable health services in order to avoid death and birth complications which ultimately results in societal poverty.

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