Investing in midwifery pays
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Laotian midwife assisting expectant mother
On the International Day of the Midwife, 5 May, the United Nations Population Fund says it pays to invest in midwifery.
UNFPA says midwives promote good health and make childbirth safe for millions of women without access to doctors and hospitals.
Agency figures show that every day, almost 1,000 women die in childbirth and two million babies don't survive the first 24 hours of their lives. UNFPA is promoting midwives as a lifesaving maternity service for women and their babies. They agency has also partnered with several organizations to strengthen midwifery training programmes and policies in 30 countries.
Dianne Penn spoke with Dr. Yves Bergevin, UNFPA Senior Health Advisor, about the issue of midwifery, where the deaths are occurring and what some countries are doing to save expectant mothers.
(Duration: 4:24)
