04/02/2026
"New global research confirms what midwives, women and health systems have been experiencing for years: the world does not have enough midwives.
A comprehensive new analysis of the global midwifery workforce shows that nearly one million additional midwives are needed to meet the needs of women and newborns worldwide. This is not a distant projection or a worst-case scenario. It is a picture of the reality facing health systems today, and it helps explain why so many women struggle to access quality care before, during and after pregnancy.
Midwives can provide around 90% of essential sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn and adolescent health (SRMNAH) services. Evidence shows that universal access to midwife-delivered care could prevent two-thirds of maternal and newborn deaths and stillbirths, while even modest increases in coverage could save more than one million lives every year.
AOM’s Ontario Needs Midwives Everywhere campaign reflects the same urgency: without sustained investment, too many communities continue to face gaps in access to midwifery care.
Get involved in a powerful global movement. You can:
🔗Take action through Ontario Needs Midwives Everywhere
https://www.ontariomidwives.ca/midwives-everywhere
🔗Sign and share One Million More Midwives
https://millionmore.org/
