Could introducing vacuum delivery into the education curriculum of community midwives in Yemen improve maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity outcomes?

Abstract

At present in Yemen the neonatal mortality rate stands at 12%. A contributing factor is that when abnormalities arise during labour in rural areas, there is an absence of trained medical staff to manage complications. Consequently, childbearing women are expected to travel long distances to hospitals to receive Essential Obstetric Care (EOC). This paper presents a debate over whether vacuum delivery should be introduced into the education curriculum of community midwifery courses in Yemen. It is proposed that this fundamental change to both the educational system and the community midwives role could facilitate a reduction in maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity figures in Yemen.