Every year, over 130 million babies are born worldwide, making maternal and newborn care critical. In low- and middle-income countries, skilled midwives play a pivotal role in reducing maternal and newborn deaths. Experts suggest that quality midwifery care could prevent more than 80% of these deaths.
In India, midwifery is an emerging profession that goes beyond assisting childbirth—it involves complete care throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period, including family planning and child health guidance.
Why Midwifery Is Essential?
India experiences around 25 million births annually, underscoring the need for high-quality maternal care. Midwives are seen as vital for making maternal services more accessible and ensuring mothers and babies receive skilled and respectful care. Globally, midwives have been recognized for their ability to significantly reduce maternal and neonatal mortality rates, especially in resource-limited settings.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has projected a global shortage of 310,000 midwives by 2030, which could threaten the goal of ensuring quality care for every woman during childbirth. To tackle this challenge, India launched its Midwifery Initiative in 2018.
What Is India’s Midwifery Initiative?
India introduced the Guidelines on Midwifery Services in 2018. The plan is to create a professional group called Nurse Practitioners in Midwifery (NPMs), who will oversee midwife-led units in public health facilities. This initiative aims to handle natural births with minimal medical intervention and offer dignified care to mothers.
A key aspect of this initiative is training. Seven National Training Institutes have been set up to educate midwifery trainers. These institutes, located in regions such as Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar, are designed to give NPMs practical experience in supporting mothers and newborns during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum care.
Empowering Women and Healthcare Workers:
One notable organization contributing to maternal health in India is the Aastrika Foundation. This nonprofit has been active for five years, striving to improve outcomes for mothers. Recently, Aastrika hosted the ‘Transforming Birthing’ conference in New Delhi, which brought together global health experts from organizations like WHO and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Dr. Janhavi Nilekani, Founder and Chairperson of Aastrika, highlighted the foundation’s mission: *“At Aastrika Foundation, we believe that every woman deserves respectful, timely, and high-quality maternity care, and every child deserves a healthy start to life in a supportive environment.”*
The core of Aastrika’s work lies in its Aastrika Sphere initiative, which uses digital platforms to train healthcare workers in evidence-based practices. So far, it has reached 100,000 learners, with a library of 200 courses and over 11,000 hours of educational content. Additionally, more than 1,500 healthcare professionals have received hands-on training. The foundation’s goal is to support 25 million women annually by 2030 with empowering and respectful maternity care.
The Future of Maternal Health in India:
As India continues to advance in maternal care, investing in midwifery holds significant potential. Well-trained midwives can ensure that mothers and their newborns receive safe, empathetic, and dignified care during childbirth, providing a strong foundation for a healthier future.