UNFPA Releases The State of the World's Midwifery Report

Earlier today, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) released “The State of the World’s Midwifery 2011: Delivering Health, Saving Lives.” In addition to the formal report, UNFPA has included interactive tools, data, country profiles and stories from the field for people to learn more about midwifery.

From UNFPA:

Increasing women’s access to quality midwifery has become a focus of global efforts to realize the right of every woman to the best possible health care during pregnancy and childbirth. A first step is assessing the situation.

 

The State of World’s Midwifery 2011: Delivering Health, Saving Lives, supported by 30 partners, provides the first comprehensive analysis of midwifery services and issues in countries where the needs are greatest.

 

The report provides new information and data gathered from 58 countries in all regions of the world. Its analysis confirms that the world lacks some 350,000 skilled midwives — 112,000 in the neediest 38 countries surveyed — to fully meet the needs of women around the world. The report explores a range of issues related to building up this key health workforce.