Role of midwives extends beyond childbirth: Chair
Midwives conduct over 90% of deliveries
Midwives handle more than 90% of childbirths in Iran, according to Sepideh Hajian, the head of the midwifery department at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences.
Speaking on the occasion of the International Day of the Midwife (May 5), Hajian highlighted the key role of midwives in various aspects of women’s health, IRNA wrote.
She emphasized that midwifery is a vital branch of healthcare, with practitioners contributing to education, healthcare, research, prevention, management, and support across different sectors.
While the primary role of a midwife is to oversee natural and physiological childbirth, their responsibilities extend to various dimensions of health, particularly women’s health.
Hajian noted that midwives are the first point of contact for postpartum care, aiding in the health maintenance and improvement of newborns.
Highlighting the mission of the university’s midwifery department, Hajian underscored the importance of nurturing committed, skilled, and responsible human resources capable of providing midwifery services and reproductive health at various levels of prevention to women in society.
She emphasized that midwives significantly contribute to reducing maternal and infant mortality rates by raising awareness and improving the health indices of mothers.
Hajian stressed that the role of midwives is not limited to caring for women during their fertile years, highlighting their services and counseling in postmenopausal stages to enhance women’s quality of life.
Hajian described midwives as highly effective frontline caregivers, widely regarded as the most accessible healthcare personnel, although their capacities and potentials are often undervalued.
Referring to Article 49 of the Youth and Family Support Law, which mandates the recruitment and deployment of midwives in labor rooms and maternity wards, Hajian stressed the need to change mindsets regarding natural childbirth long before pregnancy, and to create the necessary infrastructure to ensure that women can confidently opt for natural childbirth unless surgical interventions are truly necessary.