During the II Provincial Midwives' Meeting, held at the headquarters of the College of Nursing of Jaén on the occasion of International Midwives' Day, the precarious situation of these specialists in Obstetrics and Gynecology was highlighted. The event served to unanimously demand the need to adapt midwife ratios in the province to the standards of Spain and the rest of Europe, in line with the international motto “A Million More Midwives”.
The inauguration of the event was attended by various authorities, including the president of the College of Nursing, the sub-delegate of the Government in Jaén, the acting delegate of the Andalusian Government, the second vice-president of the Provincial Council, and the councilor for Health of the Jaén City Council.
According to recent data, the province of Jaén has only 28 professionals in Primary Care, which translates into a ratio of just 1.35 midwives per 10,000 women. This figure implies an average workload of 7,411 potential users per professional, tripling the health card targets of other Primary Care profiles. The situation is especially critical in districts such as Jaén Norte, where a single midwife can attend to more than ten thousand women, forcing many to travel outside their municipality to receive basic care.
“"This implies an average workload of 7,411 potential users per professional, a figure that triples the health card targets of other Primary Care profiles. And the situation becomes more complicated depending on the health district in question."
The staff shortage also affects the University Hospital of Jaén, where a lack of staff in the delivery room has been reported. Despite the hiring of an additional midwife, ratios are still not being met, leading to high workloads and compromising the safety of care for women. This saturation forces specialists to prioritize pregnancy control almost exclusively, neglecting vital areas such as affective-sexual education, contraception counseling, care during climacteric and menopause, breastfeeding follow-up, and mandatory puerperal check-ups, in addition to the suppression of physical preparation classes for childbirth and home visits.
Given this scenario, the College of Nursing demands that the administration modify regulations so that midwives become permanent members of the health team assigned to a single center. This measure seeks to eliminate unnecessary travel, ensure coverage during sick leave or holidays, and restore these professionals' comprehensive competence in women's care.
