2025, Vol. 8, Issue 1, Part A

Objective: This paper explores the multifaceted contribution of midwives to family planning services in rural communities, focusing on their roles in contraceptive provision, education, counseling, community mobilization, and systems-level advocacy.

Methods: A narrative review approach was used to synthesize data from program evaluations, case studies, and international literature on midwifery-led family planning interventions across countries including Nepal, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Uganda. The analysis emphasizes community-based practices, task-sharing initiatives, and outcome-based assessments of midwife involvement.

Results: Midwives significantly improve contraceptive uptake, continuation rates, and client satisfaction in rural settings. Their contributions include increasing access to short- and long-acting reversible contraceptives, reducing misinformation, involving male partners and family members in decision-making, and providing adolescent-friendly services. Programs led by midwives have been shown to enhance birth spacing, reduce unintended pregnancies, and foster positive reproductive health behaviors, especially when supported by adequate training, supplies, and policy frameworks.

Conclusion: Midwives are integral to scaling equitable family planning services in rural areas. Their unique positioning within communities, combined with clinical expertise and cultural competence, makes them powerful agents for improving reproductive health outcomes. Strengthening midwifery education, expanding scopes of practice, and integrating midwives into national family planning strategies are critical steps toward achieving universal reproductive health coverage.