Hyderabad: Each year, May 5 is marked as the International Midwife Day in order to recognise the contribution of midwives. This year it will be celebrated under the theme of "Follow the Data: Invest in Midwives."
The day has been celebrated by the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) since 1992.
Midwives are women who possess practical knowledge about helping pregnant women during childbirth.
When the world did not have hospitals and adequate healthcare facilities for pregnant women, it was the midwives who helped them give birth to their infants at home.
History of International Midwives’ Day
The historical backdrop of midwifery returns to ancient times, however, there are records everywhere throughout the world of similar maternity customs.
While in the olden days their practices depended intensely on understanding the strange notion of childbirth, the present midwives are similarly as able and skilled at helping mothers carry a baby to term and deliver it.
International Midwives' Day commends these bold people and the part they play in a cheerful home and sound birth.
Why it is important to celebrate midwives?
There are a number of different reasons why International Midwives' Day is an essential celebration.
There is a shortage of midwives. At the point when we talk about the entirety of the stunning things that midwives do, it's likewise essential to think about the fact that there is a lack of maternity specialists, particularly in developing countries.
This implies there are numerous difficulties and a ton of maternity specialists experience an absence of help, low status, and poor compensation.
Midwives save millions of lives every year.
Since 1990, the world has seen a steady decrease in newborn and maternal deaths. One of the main reasons for this is because more women are getting skilled midwifery care.
Midwives provide critical medical care. In addition to the fact that midwives save lives, they are trained in a host of other gynaecological problems and solutions. They can perform cervical and bosom malignancy screenings, just as offering advice and medicine.
Aim of IDM
The aim of IDM is to inform people about the crucial role that midwives play in reducing maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity since their role in healthcare is often undermined and underappreciated.
It also aims to celebrate the achievements of midwives in terms of their contribution towards improving the reproductive, sexual, newborn and maternal health outcomes.
Moreover, it also aims to urge the policymakers to support the profession by lobbying resources for midwives.
Also Read:Facing acute poverty, couple gives away newborn twins to village midwife
