Midwife crisis in the north: pregnant women fight for support!

Midwife crisis in the north: pregnant women fight for support!

Norden, Deutschland - north - an alarming condition for expectant mothers! In the city of north, where the fundamental right of women on self -determination at birth applies theoretically, the reality looks bleak. There is no birth clinic on site! The next one is in Aurich, followed by one in empty. In an emergency, every ambulance drives directly to Aurich, which significantly limits the choice of pregnant women. But that's not all: when looking for a midwife, women only have four midwives available who also do not work full -time. Stephanie Decker from the midwifery center of the Aurich district reports that there were already fallen in which pregnant women could not be mediated. The situation becomes critical, especially during the holiday season, since midwives are often overloaded or on vacation.

decline in midwives and bureaucratic hurdles

The situation is alarming: in 2018 eight midwives were still active in the north, but removals and residues have drastically reduced the number. While the situation in Aurich looks better, midwives are only allowed to work within a 25-kilometer radius, which significantly limits flexibility. Elke Kirsten, north of equal opportunities, explains: "We are often bound by our hands." The bureaucratic hurdles are high and the city has only limited opportunities to improve the situation. An attempt to hire taxi companies for trips to Aurich failed because there was no company on the offer.

The infrastructure in the north is also inadequate. While Aurich has a wide range of birth preparation courses, north cannot offer any due to a lack of space. Payment of the midwives is another major problem. Tanja Freese, one of the midwives, criticizes that the payment is not appropriate for your work and that there has been no increase for years. The recognition of the profession often does not fail, although midwives play a crucial role in the health system by not only accompanying births, but also working preventively.

The future of the midwives in the north is unsure. The lack of offspring is worrying, since many training positions remain vacant and graduates often do not get into the job. Despite all the challenges, the midwives are determined to continue their work. They are well networked and are looking for solutions to improve the situation. "Please do not plan your birth at the school holidays!" Freese appeals to expectant parents. The midwife center in the Aurich district can be reached on 0176/34522255, while the family midwife center can be contacted at 0160/1550275.