Midwifery: How Nursing Support During Pregnancy can Ensure Safe Childbirth

Pregnancy is a difficult phase. A woman goes through many physical and mental changes before and after delivering the child. Looking at their bodies, many women get anxious, stressed, and sad. This results in poor mental health. Even physically too, a woman goes through multiple changes such as breast tenderness, weight gain, swelling, pain and other acute health conditions.

During this phase of life, one needs constant support both physically and emotionally. While she gets the support of her family, that isn’t enough. She needs someone professional, someone who is trained to handle a pregnant lady, a midwife.

What is a midwife?

Midwives are the front-line workers who are trained in taking care of the mother and her baby. They are skilled, knowledgeable and experienced in handling pregnancy and childbirth. According to the World Health Organisation, around 35,000 women lose their life during pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period. India records more than 2.5 lakh stillbirths and around 5 lakh child deaths during the first month of their life annually. WHO believes that midwifery support can prevent many of these deaths.

As per a WHO representative to India, “India has over two million nurse-midwives and nearly 9,00,000 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.”

How does a midwife help during pregnancy?

1. Midwives serve as a guide during the preconception period. They advise a couple about the correct ways of conception and other health factors that may affect the process.
2. A midwife serves as the first point of contact during pregnancy. They listen to the queries and provide answers to each one of them.
3. They recognise complications and help with normal and safe deliveries.
4. They provide emotional support to the women by counselling them at different stages of pregnancy.
5. They stay with pregnant women all the time from labour to postpartum period. They help her in exercises that relieve pain and aid in a safer delivery process.
6. They advise the mother on taking care of the baby and handling it in the initial days.
7. They follow up every now and then to make sure mother and child are safe.