
Emilia Cumbane, Mozambican midwife
trained in surgical obstetrics
A special entry for the International Day of the Midwife by Barbara Bale, Save the Children Health and Nutrition Team Leader.
The birth of a baby is a magical moment, transforming human nature into a miracle of life – a time of joy. Yet it is a tragedy that women and their babies continue to die in childbirth in the 21st century because of lack of access to midwives and other midwifery-skilled health workers.
A wealth of evidence indicates that a midwife or a health worker with midwifery competencies is crucial to reducing maternal and neonatal mortality and promoting the health of women and children. This is why the proportion of births attended by a skilled health provider is one of the two indicators for measuring progress toward MDG 5. Skilled attendance is also vital to protecting the health of newborns and achieving MDG 4: the majority of perinatal deaths occur during labour and delivery or within the first 48 hours after delivery. In Mozambique one third of children under 5 die during the neonatal period, the first month of life.








