Scaling up midwifery efforts worldwide could prevent up to 83% of all stillbirths and maternal and neonatal deaths, a new study suggests.
Researchers at the University of Technology Sydney used the Lives Saved Tool (LiST) to estimate the effect of increasing discrete midwifery interventions on maternal and newborn health in 78 countries.
They found with universal coverage of midwifery interventions for maternal and newborn health, for less-developed countries, 61% of all childbirth-related deaths could be prevented.
Family planning alone, meanwhile, could prevent 57% of all deaths because of reduced fertility and fewer pregnancies.
Lead author Professor Caroline Homer said further assessment and research was needed to establish how health systems could be best improved to make midwifery more accessible worldwide.
Read more at University of Technology Sydney