Philosophy and Model of Midwifery Care:- Throughout the world, midwifery has been practiced for centuries and has features and characteristics that have evolved differently according to local or regional cultural and social traditions and knowledge. This document provides a universal, description of the philosophy and model of midwifery care, without compromising local or regional characteristics of midwifery care. According to the ICM definition of the midwives: “A midwife is a person who has successfully completed a midwifery education program 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.” Research indicates that midwife-led continuity models of care are associated with benefits for mothers and newborns, such as a reduction in the use of epidural anesthesia, fewer episiotomies and instrumental births, and increased spontaneous vaginal births, and increased breastfeeding. Women were less likely to experience preterm birth or lose the baby before 24 weeks gestation. The chances of being cared for in labor and birth by a midwife she had got to know increased. ICM recognizes midwives as the professionals of choice for childbearing women in all areas of the world. This universal standard is based on initial and ongoing midwifery education that is competency-based. ICM promotes the midwifery model of care based on respect for human dignity, compassion, and the promotion of human rights for all persons. ICM believes that midwives offer care based on a philosophy, which influences the model of midwifery care.
