Every year on the 5th of May International Day of the Midwife celebrates the essential role midwives play in supporting women and newborns through pregnancy and birth.

Midwives are at the centre of maternity care. They are often the first to notice subtle but important changes – blood pressure shifts, reduced foetal movement, signs of infection, or emerging mental health concerns. In many cases, timely recognition and escalation makes all the difference.

But maternity care is complex, under extreme pressure and often under-resourced. It depends on clear communication, prompt escalation, and systems that respond when something doesn’t feel right. When any part of that chain breaks down, opportunities to prevent harm to mother and or baby can be lost.

Sadly even in 2026 women still die during childbirth, stillbirth figures are still in the thousands each year and due to complications during childbirth babies can suffer harm or disability. Research suggests many of these complications and injuries were preventable with the right evidence based procedures and care.

This is where medical negligence investigations sometimes arise – not because complications occurred, but because concerns may not have been properly recognised, escalated, or acted upon in time.

Importantly, most births in the UK are safe, and midwives play a vital role in achieving that but they are also dependant on the right systems and resources being in place. The pressure on maternity services is increasing and the margin for error in some situations is very small.

International Day of the Midwife is a chance to recognise the skill, judgement, and care midwives bring every day. It is also a reminder of why early recognition and swift action matter so much – for mothers, for babies, and for the families whose future depends on it.