Mexico integrates traditional midwives into healthcare systems

Health authorities in Mexico are implementing initiatives to integrate traditional midwives into the formal healthcare system to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes.

In Yucatán, 40 Maya-speaking traditional midwives participated in a workshop titled ‘Essential Newborn Care. Midwife Training.’ The program, supported by the Secretaría de las Mujeres and the Colegio Internacional de Pediatras de Yucatán A. C., focused on identifying risk factors and recognizing alarm signs in newborns. The training was provided in both Spanish and Maya to ensure accessibility for midwives from various municipalities.

In Tamaulipas, the Secretaría de Salud established the State Midwifery Committee, which includes 53 traditional midwives. This committee aims to reduce sociocultural and geographic barriers to obstetric care by fostering coordination between traditional practices and hospital services. The initiative seeks to combine community experience with medical science to enhance safety and humanize maternal health services.