Midwives: Critical in every crisis (Editorial)

Established in 1992 by the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), the world celebrates the International Day of the Midwife (IDM) on 5 May yearly to celebrate and raise awareness about the midwifery profession. This year’s theme is “Midwives: Critical in Every Crisis.” In many countries, midwives are the first contact a pregnant woman makes for antenatal care. Midwives are critical in identifying, preventing, and/or managing and referring complications or problems as they arise, as well as delivering the baby and providing postnatal care for the mother and newborn. Early identification of complications ensures early intervention by skilled medical providers to prevent maternal morbidity and mortality.