“Bringing smiles to mothers and babies”: Midwives promote safe births at Nimbo health centre in Côte D’Ivoire

BOUAKÉ, Côte D’Ivoire – Entrepreneur Rosine Gnohou was at a prenatal check-up when the midwife she was seeing delivered some concerning news: Her amniotic fluid levels were low. 

“The midwife referred me to Bouaké's regional hospital for delivery,” Ms. Gnohou told UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. “I was frightened because I'd previously experienced a miscarriage and was desperate not to lose another child.” 

Ms. Gnohou’s worried husband called her over and over again during her ambulance transfer to the hospital. Once she arrived, midwives on staff offered her reassurance and encouragement, and she soon gave birth to a healthy baby girl. 

Midwives save lives

Getting pregnant women like Ms. Gnohou the care they need, especially amid complications, is often a matter of life and death. Research indicates that delays in referring and transporting patients for higher-level care can have deadly consequences. 

For millions of women, midwives are their first line of defence against preventable maternal death. These providers make difficult calls in high-stakes health-care situations every day, and could save more than 4 million lives a year with sufficient training and support, according to UNFPA. 

“Right now, around the world, millions of lives are in the hands of midwives,” UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem has said. “Without significantly expanding midwifery, more women will die in childbirth. Millions of stories will have no heroes, and instead end in tragedy.” 

Delivering joy 

The midwives at Nimbo Urban Health Centre, the facility Ms. Gnohou attended for check-ups during her pregnancy, have a motto: “Bringing smiles to mothers and babies.” 

“They welcomed me warmly when I first became pregnant,” Ms. Gnohou said of the health centre’s midwives. “They're approachable, offering guidance on hygiene and safe activities during pregnancy.”

The Nimbo health centre prioritizes patient education to ensure their satisfaction. According to midwife Laetitia Amorofi Sénin, staff hold awareness-raising sessions for pregnant women in the mornings: “We engage with patients, providing evidence-based information to dispel myths,” Ms. Amorofi Sénin told UNFPA. 

Yet the midwives are also students at the centre themselves. Through the UNFPA-supported ‘2 Hours to Life’ programme, also funded by Takeda Pharmaceuticals, the health centre’s midwives were recently provided with new technology – including a cardiotocograph to monitor fetal heart rates during labour – and trained on new medical techniques. 

“We successfully used vacuum extraction for a first-time mother struggling to push,” Ms. Sénin said. “Prompt action prevented potential complications, highlighting the critical importance of our training.” 

Research from Côte D’Ivoire shows prenatal care coverage is almost universal. According to a recent national survey, 95 per cent of women aged 15 to 49 who gave birth between 2019 and 2021 were seen by a qualified health-care provider before giving birth. 

Ms. Gnohou is a staunch advocate for such services. “The first step for any pregnant woman is visiting the hospital,” she told UNFPA. 

“The midwives at Nimbo provided excellent care and guidance throughout my pregnancy, and I'm grateful for their support.”