Are you considering midwifery?

What do midwives do?

Midwives are people who are skilled, knowledgeable and provide compassionate care for childbearing women, newborn infants and families across the continuum from pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, birth, postpartum and the early weeks of life.


The International Council of Midwives (ICM) defines midwifery as:
a profession with a unique body of knowledge, skills and professional attitudes drawn from disciplines shared by other health professions such as science and sociology but practised by midwives within a professional framework of autonomy, partnership, ethics, and accountability. 

Midwifery is an approach to care of women and their newborn infants whereby midwives:

• optimise the normal biological, psychological, social, and cultural processes of childbirth and early life of the newborn 
• work in partnership with women, respecting the individual circumstances and views of each woman 
• promote women’s personal capabilities to care for themselves and their families 
• collaborate with midwives and other health professionals as necessary to provide holistic care that meets each woman’s individual needs. Midwifery care is provided by an autonomous midwife.