In the Netherlands, midwives deliver a majority of the babies. Other countries do not utilize midwives to their fullest potential. Each country worldwide has a slightly different view of midwifery, and of how midwives work within their communities. Midwives speak from these various perspectives and cultures. Midwives are encouraged to share their statistics and work situations.
Midwives teach, educate and empower women to take control of their own health care.
In most communities, they provide prenatal care, or supervision of the pregnancy, and then assist the mother to give birth. They manage the birth, and overse the woman and her newborn in the postpartum period. Most midwives encourage and monitor women throughout their labor with techniques to improve the labor and birth. Reassurance, positive imaging and suggestions to change positions and walk helps labors progress. Many midwives provide family planning services and routine women's health examinations such as pap smears and physical examinations.