Back to Resources

Essential Competencies Resources

The Essential Competencies are a minimum set of knowledge, skills and professional behaviours for a midwife.

Resource Type
Author
Viewing 1-12 of 13 items
Guide, Toolkit

RESPECT Toolkit

The RESPECT toolkit has everything you need on how to run a workshop on Respectful Maternity Care for midwives
Midwives help with delivery at Aiiku Hospital in Tokyo, Japan.
Guide

Joint Statement of Recommendation for the Use of Uterotonics for the Prevention of Postpartum Haemorrhage 

ICM and FIGO strongly recommend the use of uterotonics during active management of third stage of labour to prevent PPH; all health care providers should be trained and competent in both physiological and active management of third stage of labour.
A midwife Hotaru Tsuchida, left and Yuka Yamamoto a midwifery student of a university with a pregnant patient just before giving birth at Aiiku Hospital in Tokyo, Japan.
Guide

Joint Statement of Recommendation for the Use of Tranexamic Acid for the Treatment of Postpartum Haemorrhage

FIGO and ICM recommend the early use of TXA within three hours of birth, in addition to standard care for women with clinically diagnosed PPH following vaginal birth or caesarean section.
Guide

Guidance on the use of heat-stable carbetocin as an alternative to oxytocin in the prevention of postpartum haemorrhage

Policymakers, managers and clinicians operating in resource-constrained settings encourage the use of heat-stable carbetocin within countries, there might be an implication that oxytocin and heat-stable carbetocin indications are considered equivalent - they are not.
Nicole Byrnes, listens to her baby’s heartbeat, during a prenatal appointment with Indigenous midwife, Lulu Littler, at Minga Gudjaga Midwifery clinic in Nowra, Australia.
Core Document

Essential Competencies for Midwifery Practice

The Essential Competencies for Midwifery Practice outline the minimum set of knowledge, skills and professional behaviours required by an individual to use the designation of midwife as defined by ICM.
Guide

Essential Competencies – Self-Assessment Tool 

This interactive table allows you to analyse your knowledge of each of the ICM Essential Competencies for Midwifery Practice.
A midwife demonstrates Method of Leopold Maneuvers to midwives participants at the workshop organized by Japan Academy of Midwifery in in Tokyo, Japan.
Guide

Essential Competencies – Assessment Guide (2023) 

This guide is to provides direction for midwifery teachers/educators with a means to develop assessments that are reliable, valid and consistent when evaluating the ICM Essential Competencies for Midwifery Practice (2019).
Midwife Juliya Akter is doing Sathi Akter’s (22) pregnancy routine checkup. Her role involves monitoring the progress of labour, offering guidance, and facilitating a safe and positive birthing experience. She does routine examinations in the female ward and attends to newborn babies and mothers. Keraniganj Upazila Health Complex, Bangladesh.
Core Document

Definition of Midwifery

ICM has developed the definition of midwifery, used around the world as the basis of the profession.
Toolkit

Advocacy Toolkit

Advocacy is the act of supporting a cause to effect change; this toolkit helps midwives and midwives’ associations learn and plan advocacy activities.
Position Statement

Midwifery care for women with complications of childbirth

It is important to ensure that women experiencing complications in childbirth receive the best possible care from a multidisciplinary team, which should include a midwife.
A midwife Hotaru Tsuchida teaches a Yoga lesson to a pregnant patient just before giving birth at Aiiku Hospital in Tokyo, Japan.
Position Statement

Keeping Birth Normal 

ICM supports normal childbirth as a physiological life event, promoting midwives' expertise and advocating for accessible, midwife-led care options within healthcare systems.
Position Statement

Professional Accountability of the Midwife 

ICM asserts midwives must actively acquire and update knowledge, skills, and competency through professional education, ensuring accountability for their actions.
1 2