Last January, two committee members of the Malta Midwives Association, Rita Pace Parascandalo and Mary Buttigieg Said, attended the first meeting of the Southern European Region and discussed among other things this year’s celebrations for the International Day of the Midwife.

It was agreed that member associations of the Southern European region have a common activity which would include a campaign on 5 May; white balloons with blue lettering ‘Keeping birth normal’ will fly all over Europe at noon central European time.

Childbirth is a significant social and emotional event not only for the mother but also for her family and even the community as a whole. Midwifery care adopts a holistic approach to the care of women and their families, recognising that childbirth carries significant meaning for women and their families and emphasises that childbirth is a unique, dynamic, biological and psychosocial process.

The International Confederation of Midwives and the World Health Organisation recognise the midwife as the most appropriate healthcare professional to promote normal childbirth and to care for women during pregnancy, labour and the postnatal period. Keeping childbirth normal is one of her fundamental roles.

For centuries, the midwife has worked in partnership with women, families and communities to achieve the best pregnancy outcome. The philosophy of care focuses on the enhancement of the physiological process of childbirth, meeting the women’s individual needs and empowering women and families through effective preparation for parenthood and support throughout the childbearing process thus helping them have a normal birth and a positive birth experience.

By providing information to women and their families, the midwife promotes the understanding of birth as a normal life process and enables women to make informed choices during childbirth, including the use of technology in a timely and appropriate manner.

Normal birth means that a woman goes into labour spontaneously, continues, and completes the process without unnecessary clinical interventions with the infant being born at term and both mother and baby are well. However, despite proven long-term maternal and child health benefits from normal childbirth, the concept of childbirth as a normal process is in decline.

Evidence suggests that birth technologies and “medicalisation” of childbirth, which are not always based on clinical needs, seem to dominate all over the world. This unfortunately established trend increases the possibility of long-term physical and psychosocial problems for both mother and baby.

Women should be able to insist on their choice for a natural birth and their wishes should be respected.