In Lebanon, caesarean deliveries’ rates are very high compared to normal deliveries. Despite their higher costs, C-sections have become a common practice in the country, when women give birth to a baby.

Since 2012, MSF has been promoting a comprehensive midwife-led care, in the frame of its sexual and reproductive health activities in Lebanon. The organization is privileging natural deliveries, managed by midwives, when pregnancies do not present any risk or do not necessitate specific medical interventions.

This approach is empowering local midwives, by giving them the opportunity to use their skills according to their knowledge, training and abilities and to be essential members of a medical team. This hands-on model of care is also beneficial for the mothers and their babies: a more personal relationship and personalized follow-up is developed for the patients, as midwives are also able to take care of ante-natal (ANC), post-natal (PNC) and family planning (FP) services.

In Beirut, MSF offers ANC, PNC and family planning services in a clinic in Burj Al Barajneh camp, South Beirut, and Normal delivery services at MSF’s Birth centre in the Rafik Hariri University Hospital (RHUH) Campus. Having its Birth Centre located in the Campus of the RHUH campus guarantees better outcomes and rapid assistance in case of complications. The good collaboration between the hospital and MSF illustrates how gynaecologists, obstetricians and midwives can actually operate hand in hand to guarantee safe and healthy deliveries, all working to the best of their knowledge, training and abilities.