Midwives defend their cause in front of France Télévisions

“Since the Minister of Health continues to ignore midwives, we are going to multiply this type of shock action so that she can finally hear us. This is the message sent to the government by Caroline Raquin, president of the National Organization of Midwifery Unions (ONSSF), contacted this Saturday by why actor. On strike since October 16, nearly 150 midwives have spent the whole morning camping in front of the premises of France Televisions in Paris, also criticizing the TV media for their lack of visibility on the air. “Especially since the strike that has been going on for two weeks is increasingly being followed in the establishments,” notes the president. And the latter adds that, “it is now nearly 75% of French maternity hospitals who have gone on strike. It is really very encouraging. Professionals still continue to declare themselves on strike today. So what are the expectations of these midwives? why actor returns to the reasons for this anger.

Recognition of their skills
These health professionals are notably demanding recognition, by finally achieving the status of hospital practitioner. Indeed, even if the latter exercise a medical profession, they have always had the status of “paramedical”. This lack of recognition by the authorities is also felt in the remuneration of these professionals. “The statute of the hospital public service considers us as bac + 3, but we are paid as bac + 2 and a half, with not even the basic salary which corresponds to a license level. The worst thing is that in reality, we have a bac + 5, with a first year of medicine and a four-year training course that follows to become a midwife, ”Caroline Raquin explained to us at the very beginning of the movement.

Midwives perform all acts of normal pregnancy monitoring
But this cry of anger is not just a matter of remuneration. Because in hospitals, midwives depend, for the moment, entirely on their head of department concerning the policy of monitoring the pregnancy of pregnant women to be applied.
However, in practice, during pregnancies without complications, midwives perform all the procedures performed by hospital doctors specializing in pregnancy (ultrasound, preparation for childbirth, monitoring, etc.).

Listen to Caroline Raquin, president of the ONSSF : ” In the maternity ward where I am, the midwives do everything. Consultations, ultrasounds… ”(interview conducted on 11/10/2013)


The follow-up of a midwife: a reduced cost for the pregnant woman and the Social Security
But their fight is also with the aim of offering the best possible care to women in maternity wards, underlined Caroline Raquin. By managing the services themselves, midwives believe that they will be able to offer the best possible pregnancy follow-up and the ideal childbirth adapted to each woman. An ideal, we have understood, far removed from the famous baby factories often denounced today by many midwives.
Finally, the president of the ONSFF recently confirmed that pregnancy monitoring by a midwife will provide pregnant women at a lower cost. Because, these professionals are less expensive than doctors. “The most modest households could thus save money,” said Caroline Raquin. “For all these reasons, the movement is now very well accepted by patients who encourage us to continue our fight “, she concluded.

Listen to Caroline Raquin, president of the ONSSF: ” If the Ministry of Health invested in midwives, the savings would be three times the initial investment. The expected gain would amount to millions… ”(interview conducted on 10/11/13)