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Midwifery In Chile - A Successful Experience To Improve Women´S Sexual And Reproductive Health: Facilitators & Challenges, Eduardo Lillo, Sandra Oyarzo, Jorge Carroza, Anita Román

Journal of Asian Midwives (JAM)

Midwives have had a major presence in the Chilean Health System since 1834, just a few years after the country’s independence from Spain. Since then, the professionalization and expertise achieved by professional midwives has resulted in considerable improvement in women’s sexual and reproductive health.

Today, the maternal Mortality Ratio is rated the second lowest in the Americas (16 deaths per 100,000 live births), and midwives take care of virtually all deliveries in the public system, in both rural and urban women’s health care units (99.8%). Such figures have been attained after many years of hard work; and, as a consequence, …