Poor supply of acute midwives deficiency on birth stations

High cost pressure: On midwifery there is midwives shortage
For years, experts warn of an increasing midwife deficiency. According to a new report, almost half of midwives in hospitals have to take care of three women at the same time during birth. The main reason for this is the cost pressure under which the clinics are located. The German Midwives Association is in favor of one-to-one care.

Fewer and fewer midwives
Due to the increasing cost pressure of the German clinics, more and more delivery rooms are closing. And in the remaining, there is often a dangerous midwife shortage. This leads to an enormous workload of the obstetricians and thus to a poor care of the woman giving birth. According to experts, the conditions in maternity hospitals are no longer sustainable.

Almost half of midwives in German hospitals take care of three women at the same time. According to experts, the conditions in maternity hospitals are no longer sustainable. (Image: Kzenon / fotolia.com)

Midwives take care of three women at the same time
As it says in a still unpublished report of the scientific service of the Bundestag, which is the "Rheinische Post" (RP) appearing in Dusseldorf, nearly half of the midwives in hospitals take care of "three women at the same time during the birth".

Most of the clinics are under considerable cost pressure. According to the RP, it is clear from the report that 60 percent of the maternity wards do not cover their costs despite austerity measures.

In addition, almost every second clinic has difficulty finding qualified nurses for open midwives, according to the report.

Poor care of women in obstetrics
"The economic pressure on clinics in Germany has meant that the care of women in obstetrics is poor," said Martina Klenk, President of the German Midwives Association (DHV), the "Rheinische Post".

According to the newspaper, the head of the Left Group in the Health Committee, Birgit Wöllert, who has commissioned the report, states: "In the interests of women and infants, but also of midwives with their responsible work, the implementation of the guideline and the one-to-one One-on-one support will finally become the basis of a legal personnel assessment. "

In a recent statement by Katharina Jeschke, board member of the DHV, it says: "The DHV demands one-to-one care for all women. It must not matter whether the midwife is employed or self-employed. We also demand a fair compensation for this intensive work for all midwives. "

Conditions in maternity hospitals no longer sustainable
The conditions in maternity hospitals are no longer acceptable from the point of view of the Midwives Association.

"Overall, obstetrics are chronically underfunded. Midwives have compensated this so far, "said association head Klenk.

"However, we have now reached the point where we can not go any further." According to many clinics, there are no longer any midwives or doctors who would like to work there under the conditions.

"This ultimately affects pregnant women and women giving birth." (Ad)