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Midwife

Also called foetal nurse, obstetric nurse, pre-natal nurse

Midwives assist women in childbirth by providing the necessary support, care and advice during pregnancy, labour and the postpartum period, conduct births and provide care for the new-born. They advise on health, preventive measures, preparation for parenthood, detection of complications in mother and child, accessing of medical care, promoting normal birth and carrying out emergency measures.

Will there be jobs?Yes, good prospects37 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Health professionalsWhat does it pay?Well above averageFrom about €1,800 (Bulgaria) to €9,700 (Luxembourg) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Health professionalsWhat do I need to study?Usually a degree9 in 10 have a degree.Health professionalsWill AI change it?LittleLevel 2 of 6. AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.Midwifery professionals · ILO

What you'd do

Midwifery professionals · ILO
  • Planning, providing and evaluating care and support services for women and babies before, during and after pregnancy and childbirth according to the practice and standards of modern midwifery care
  • Providing advice to women and families and conducting community education on health, nutrition, hygiene, exercise, birth and emergency plans, breastfeeding, infant care, family planning and contraception, lifestyle and other topics related to pregnancy and childbirth
  • Assessing progress during pregnancy and childbirth, managing complications and recognizing warning signs requiring referral to a medical doctor with specialized skills in obstetrics
  • Monitoring the health status of newborns, managing complications and recognizing warning signs requiring referral to a medical doctor with specialized skills in neonatology
  • Monitoring pain and discomfort experienced by women during labour and delivery and alleviating pain using a variety of therapies, including the use of painkilling drugs
  • Reporting births to government authorities to meet legal and professional requirements
  • Conducting research on midwifery practices and procedures and disseminating findings such as through scientific papers and reports
  • Planning and conducting midwifery education activities in clinical and community settings
Prescribe medicationProvide treatment strategies for challenges to human healthInform policy makers on health-related challengesDevelop a collaborative therapeutic relationshipUse e-health and mobile health technologies+ 40 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Indoors
  • A mix of sitting and standing
  • Constant contact with people, including the public
  • Good freedom to decide
  • Often more than 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines now and then
  • Some repetitive tasks
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the US job "Midwives"

Will there be jobs?

Yes, good prospects

Many jobs will need filling by 2035.

People working as health professionals in the EU
5.11m6.39m7.07m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
549,000 new jobs 1,888,000 replacing leavers
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Health professionals37
All jobs29
Right now
7 of 27 countries report a shortage of midwifery professionals, 1 a surplus.
Midwifery professionals · EURES

What does it pay?

Well above average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,800 a month (Bulgaria) to €9,700 (Luxembourg), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among professionals in the EU, women earn 21% less per hour than men. Professionals · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Usually a degree

A degree in nursing and midwifery is the usual route.

Highest qualification of health professionals (EU, 2025)
Degree 86%Vocational 12%General secondary 1%Basic schooling 1%
Field that teaches it
Nursing and midwifery
Vocational route, EU
3 in 10 trainees in this field
Health and welfare graduates in a matching job
81% in the EU

946 institutions in the EU offer health and welfare bachelor's degrees. Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Little

AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.30 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 8 tasks
Reporting births to government authorities to meet legal and professional requirements0.54
Conducting research on midwifery practices and procedures and disseminating findings such as through scientific papers and reports0.52
Planning and conducting midwifery education activities in clinical and community settings0.28
Providing advice to women and families and conducting community education on health, nutrition, hygiene, exercise, birth and emergency plans, breastfeeding, infant care, family planning and contraception, lifestyle and other topics related to pregnancy and childbirth0.27
Planning, providing and evaluating care and support services for women and babies before, during and after pregnancy and childbirth according to the practice and standards of modern midwifery care0.23
Assessing progress during pregnancy and childbirth, managing complications and recognizing warning signs requiring referral to a medical doctor with specialized skills in obstetrics0.22
Monitoring the health status of newborns, managing complications and recognizing warning signs requiring referral to a medical doctor with specialized skills in neonatology0.20
Monitoring pain and discomfort experienced by women during labour and delivery and alleviating pain using a variety of therapies, including the use of painkilling drugs0.14

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for midwifery professionals. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).