International Day of the Midwife
Every year on May 5, the world pauses to honor a group of healthcare professionals who walk beside us at the very beginning of life—midwives. It’s a day to recognize their strength, skill, and compassion, and to remind ourselves just how crucial their role is in ensuring healthy beginnings for both mothers and babies.
Midwife Day is celebrated with great enthusiasm worldwide. Celebrations are held on this day. It’s a moment of appreciation, awareness, and advocacy for a profession that too often works behind the scenes, out of the spotlight, yet holds the lives of millions in its hands.
What Does a Midwife Really Do?
Contrary to outdated perceptions, midwives are not simply "baby catchers" or alternatives to doctors. They are trained medical professionals who provide care before, during, and after childbirth. Their scope of practice includes:
Monitoring maternal and fetal health during pregnancy
Assisting in labor and delivery
Providing postpartum care and breastfeeding support
Offering family planning and reproductive health guidance
Supporting emotional wellbeing throughout the journey
Midwives specialize in holistic, patient-centered care, often forming deep connections with the families they serve.
The Global Picture of Midwifery
Midwives are an essential part of health systems around the world, especially in low- and middle-income countries where access to doctors and hospitals may be limited. In many rural or underserved regions, midwives are often the only providers of maternal and newborn care.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the world could prevent millions of deaths by investing more in midwifery. A 2021 report by the United Nations estimated that fully investing in midwives could avert:
67% of maternal deaths
64% of newborn deaths
65% of stillbirths
Yet despite these facts, the world faces a shortage of over 900,000 midwives—a gap that leaves countless families without the care they deserve.
Why May 5?
The International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) first launched this global awareness day in 1992. Since then, it has been celebrated in over 50 countries each year. The date, May 5, was chosen as a unifying moment to recognize midwives globally, regardless of nationality, practice setting, or scope of work.
Each year, ICM introduces a unique theme to guide conversations and events. Recent themes have focused on equity in maternal care, midwives as climate change responders, and expanding access to respectful care.
A Voice for Women, Babies, and Families
Midwives do more than deliver babies—they advocate for women’s rights to safe, respectful, and empowering health experiences. Their care is often rooted in trust and dignity, ensuring women are heard and supported through one of life’s most intense journeys.
They also help reduce unnecessary medical interventions, promote natural birth when appropriate, and offer critical emotional support in both routine and high-risk pregnancies.
For many, a midwife is not just a care provider but a guide, coach, and confidant.
Midwives in Action: Stories That Inspire
Amina in Kenya
Amina works in a rural health center, serving women who walk miles just to reach her. With limited resources, she provides prenatal care, delivers babies, and educates new mothers—all while managing emergencies with grace. Her work has reduced birth complications in her village by over 50% in the past five years.
Emily in Canada
Emily is part of a home-birth midwifery practice. Her calm demeanor and evidence-based approach have helped hundreds of families experience childbirth on their own terms. She’s also a powerful advocate for postpartum mental health, offering follow-up care well beyond the delivery.
Sofia in Syria
Sofia works as a midwife. Her job is in a Gazan camp where the people of the area, who have fallen into very bad conditions, are seeking refuge. Her presence brings safety and hope to women who have lost everything else. She trains local women in basic maternal health, ensuring care continues even in crisis.
How the Day Is Celebrated
Across the world, International Day of the Midwife is celebrated in many ways:
Public events and community health fairs
Virtual seminars and workshops
Social media campaigns using hashtags like #IDM2025 and #Thank You Midwives
Awards and recognitions for outstanding midwives
There are also many organizations that are created to help people. Funds are sent to collect supplies in areas where there is no security arrangement.
Schools, clinics, and advocacy groups often organize talks to educate communities about the importance of midwifery and reproductive health rights.
Raising Awareness and Taking Action
The job of a midwife is not to be told about them just for the day, but rather to provide information about midwives to people every day of the year. Real impact comes when communities, healthcare systems, and governments work to:
Increase investment in midwifery education and facilities
Support midwives with fair pay and safe working conditions
Integrate midwifery into national health strategies
Challenge stigmas and misconceptions about birth choices
Include midwives in healthcare decision-making
By elevating the role of midwives, we improve health outcomes for mothers and babies—and build stronger, more equitable healthcare systems.
How You Can Celebrate
You don’t need to be a midwife to honor their work. Here are some guidelines on how you can contribute to the International Day of the Midwife.
Send a thank-you message to a midwife who helped your family
The best way to educate people about this day is to use your social platforms to provide information about this day and share pictures about this day.
Attend or organize an event at a local clinic or health center
Donate to organizations that train midwives globally
Learn about birth equity and support maternal health initiatives
Even a small act of appreciation can make a big difference to a midwife who works tirelessly for others.
Final Thoughts: Midwives Make the World Healthier
Midwives are more than healthcare workers—they’re the heartbeat of maternal care. They support us at the start of life and advocate for us when our voices might not yet be heard. In many ways, they deliver not just babies, but hope, trust, and love.
This year, on May 5th, celebrate the qualities of midwives and salute their qualities from the heart. Let’s uplift them, support them, and ensure their work is recognized, resourced, and respected.
Because when midwives are supported, mothers thrive, babies flourish, and communities grow stronger.
 2025 | INTRODUCTION , Global Picture of Midwifery , Voice for Women , Midwives in Action , Final Thoughts){kind=link}
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