The situation in the Berlin delivery rooms was already tense before the pandemic. And according to the midwives’ association, the care for mothers could become even worse in the future. However, this is not due to the obligation to vaccinate in the healthcare system.
From the point of view of the Berlin Association of Midwives (BHV), the compulsory vaccination for employees in the health sector from mid-March will not aggravate the situation in the Berlin delivery rooms.
“Because of the obligation to vaccinate, according to the BHV, there will be no layoffs among the employed midwives,” said Chairwoman Ann-Jule Wowretzko of the German Press Agency. The vast majority of midwives have already been vaccinated or will be vaccinated.
The association defends itself against the impression that an impending supply gap in obstetrics is related to the vaccination status of midwives. “We expressly warn against such a conclusion,” says Wowretzko.
There are many reasons why midwives are turning their backs on obstetrics. A lack of vaccination readiness is not one of them. The staff exodus has long been there – because of the tense staff situation in the delivery rooms, which has been exacerbated by the corona pandemic.
“So if women are not adequately cared for during childbirth in the future, this is not due to compulsory vaccination, but to the working conditions in Berlin hospitals or as a freelance midwife,” says the midwife.
The Berlin Association of Midwives represents around 800 midwives and midwifery students in Berlin.