Midwives: Their struggle and ways to cope

Abstract

During any birth complication, midwives and obstetricians are the ones who operate at the interface of life and death. During the span of their career, almost every midwife faces such a situation, causing them to face adversity of varying severity. Midwives suffer from shame, blame, and guilt when institutional pressures prevent them from providing compassionate care and make them feel complicit in inadequate treatment. Midwives' stressors and previous traumas often exacerbate these problems. It is suggested that they may conceal their emotions and project a stern countenance, making them less sympathetic and considerate with women and unable to enter into deep reciprocal relationships with women. Moreover, it is suggested that information pamphlets, peer support, and coaching and mentoring integrating the trauma-focused psychological intervention can be used as helpful coping techniques to prevent the midwives from being affected by the tragic incidents they experienced. The current commentary highlights some facts on the struggle a midwife faces and their way of coping with them.