Nearly 3.6 million lives could be saved in 58 developing
countries around the world with scaled-up midwifery services,
according to a report launched today by UNFPA and partners
called The State of the World’s Midwifery 2011. Of these 58
countries, 38 were found to be lagging behind in meeting MDG 5
(reducing maternal mortality by 75%). Unless an additional
112,000 midwives are trained, deployed and retained in
supportive environments, these 38 countries might not meet their
target to achieve 95 percent coverage of births by skilled
attendants by 2015, as required by Millennium Development Goal
5, on maternal health. Globally, 350,000 midwives are still
lacking. 358,000 women die each year during pregnancy and
childbirth. These deaths are largely due to a lack of access to
functioning health facilities or trained professionals, and poor
women are particularly vulnerable. The presence of quality care
facilities to address life-saving complications would reduce
maternal deaths by 61%; stillbirths by 49%; and th