Strengthening Midwifery to End Preventable Maternal, Child, and Newborn Deaths

Abstract

During the 50th anniversary of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) in 2005, a Call to Action was presented to the membership. This call addressed the severe healthcare workforce capacity issues the world was facing at the time and the resulting impact on maternal and child health outcomes in low resource countries.1 The components of the Call to Action revolved around the need for advocacy to improve working conditions for midwives in these low resource settings, specifically in the areas of health and safety, salary and benefits, and professional development. While some improvements have been made over the ensuing decade, many countries still face a profound deficit of healthcare workers. On the 60th anniversary of ACNM, we examine the persistent global shortage of healthcare workers and its impact on maternal, child, and newborn mortality and morbidity, the increased attention on midwives as we approach the post-millennium development goals era, and the work of ACNM in response to the Call to Action issued a decade ago.