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Background
The International Day of the Midwife (IDM) 2026 provides a global platform to highlight the essential role of midwives in advancing quality, respectful, and equitable maternity care. As countries accelerate their transition to Midwifery Models of Care (MMoC) and align with WHO’s guidance, there is increasing demand for practical examples of how governments and professional associations are operationalizing these models within health systems.
This webinar will bring together national leaders and global partners to share country experiences, discuss lessons learned, and highlight the policy and system enablers required for successful transition.
Why this matters
Midwives are an essential part of the health workforce. However, in many settings, they are not enabled to provide the full scope of care for which they are educated and competent, due to regulatory, organizational, and financing constraints. As a result, care is often delivered by different healthcare workers, with limited continuity, contributing to inefficient use of resources and missed opportunities to improve outcomes and experience of care.
Transitioning to midwifery models of care addresses these challenges by organizing services around continuity of care, using person-centred care and effective collaboration across levels of the health system. In these models, midwives serve as the main providers of maternal and newborn care to their full scope of practice, supported by interdisciplinary teams and timely referral when specialist care is required.
Global evidence shows that continuity of midwife care, where a known midwife or team provides care across pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal periods, is associated with improved health outcomes, enhanced experiences for women and families and more efficient use of health system resources. This approach also strengthens primary health care systems and contributes to the achievement of universal health coverage.
Objectives
The webinar aims to:
- Showcase country examples and experiences of midwifery models of care.
- Highlight evidence‑based approaches that improve quality, continuity, and person‑centred care.
- Provide a platform for peer learning.
- Strengthen awareness and understanding of global guidance on midwifery models of care
