Roles and missions of the midwife

Midwives are skilled and trained health professionals who are responsible for the health and well-being of mothers and newborns during and after pregnancy. They play an essential role in supporting and monitoring women throughout their pregnancy. The main duties and responsibilities of a midwife are as follows:

Carrying out clinical and antenatal examinations to monitor the health of the mother and the unborn child;

Support and provide information to women and their families during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding;

Assist and provide antenatal care to women and their babies during and after birth;

Offer education and counselling services in the fields of reproductive health, sexual health and nutrition;

Develop and implement care plans for mothers and newborns;

Carry out tests and analyses and share results with doctors and other health professionals;

Providing advice and information to women on contraception, breastfeeding and disease prevention;

Assess the needs of each mother and her social and family environment in order to develop personalised care plans;

Prevent and manage obstetric complications during pregnancy and childbirth;

Participate in research, training and professional development programmes, and in the development of practices to improve the health of mothers and newborns;

Collaborate with members of the health team to ensure appropriate and safe care.

Midwives play a key role in improving outcomes for the mother and her newborn.

Midwife salary and career development

A midwife's salary varies according to seniority and experience. On average in France, a junior midwife earns between €45,000 and €55,000 gross per year. Here are the changes in gross annual salary according to years of experience for a midwife:

0 to 2 years: between €45,000 and €55,000

2 to 5 years: between €55,000 and €65,000

5 to 10 years: between €65,000 and €75,000

10 to 15 years: between €75,000 and €85,000

More than 15 years: more than €85,000

In terms of career development, midwives can consider a number of different professions. For example, they could move into the following positions:

Head of obstetrics department ;

Health executive in gynaecology and obstetrics;

University professor and hospital practitioner;

Head of therapeutic education;

Professional practice coordinator.

Advantages and disadvantages of midwifery

Advantages

The opportunity to work in a rich and rewarding medical environment.

Opportunity to assist and encourage families and newborns during their treatment and journey home.

Offers a variety of career opportunities, such as clinical practice, teaching, publishing, and conducting research.

Offers opportunities for career advancement and can be very well paid.

Gives women the opportunity to focus on their passion and work in an industry they are passionate about.

Disadvantages

Overtime is common and can lead to high stress and excessive fatigue.

May be faced with difficult situations and difficult decisions.

Midwives often deal with cases where complications arise and must react appropriately.

May be faced with social and religious pressures to make difficult decisions about childbirth and infant care.

Midwives face physical and emotional risks during clinical and laboratory work.

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Midwife: profession, tasks and salary