A midwife is a trained professional who provides complete and comprehensive care and support during pregnancy and childbirth and continues to care for both mother and baby for six weeks post-partum.
The international definition of the midwife (from: International Confederation of Midwives, June 2011):
“A midwife is a person who has successfully completed a midwifery education programme that is duly recognized in the country where it is located and that is based on the ICM Essential Competencies for Basic Midwifery Practice and the framework of the ICM Global Standards for Midwifery Education; who has acquired the requisite qualifications to be registered and/or legally licensed to practice midwifery and use the title ‘midwife’; and who demonstrates competency in the practice of midwifery.”