Midwife
Midwives are trained health-care providers who specialise in women's gynaecological care, labour and delivery. There are several types of midwife, each with its own training requirements. In some countries, such as the U.K., the number of midwives on staff at hospitals has been falling despite the fact that the number of births has been on the increase, leading to pressure on midwifery services in the National Health Service (NHS). In many other countries, the majority of births occur in the home. For instance, in some parts of India, 60% of births are home births, often assisted by traditional midwives, called dais, who work largely outside the organised sector.
