Lack of staff and recognition to which must be added the closures of maternity hospitals and beds. For all these reasons, the midwifery unions organized several strikes on January 26, February 10 and finally February 24.

“We want the workforce to be reviewed,” explains Marie-Anne Poumaer, president of the Union Nationale Syndicale des Sages-Femmes (UNSSF). “Today, a midwife takes care of so many things at the same time that she is not sufficiently available to support all the patients. “

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Poor patient care

Some testimonials from midwives denounce a heavy workload that leads them to a form of mistreatment with their patients. “Midwives are overwhelmed. The word ‘abusive’ is strong, but appropriate. We don’t have time to be kind, and we’re not the only medical profession to regret it. We do not manage to be in the human accompaniment. “

According to Anne-Marie Poumaer, this problem particularly concerns midwives in hospitals and maternities. “In the maternity ward, there are four, five, six patients at the same time in a delivery block. We don’t have time to dwell on one or the other.” Improve the working conditions of the wise men -women would mean improving the conditions of patient care, explains the president.

Recognition of the profession

The profession of midwife is today classified in the non-medical professions. However, according to the president of the union, “In fact, we are autonomous, with regard to physiological pregnancy or preventive gynecology (smear, breast examination, contraception, and medical abortion). “

Marie-Anne Poumaer adds that a woman can be followed by a midwife from her declaration of pregnancy to her support after the birth. “The midwives take care of the screenings. They work with other medical professions at the slightest anomaly, ”she explains.

According to the president of the UNSSF, classifying midwives in the category of medical professions would increase their salaries: “Midwives are underpaid in relation to their skills and their studies. The Ministry of Health receives union representatives on February 24 to discuss it.