What percentage of women in developing countries give birth with a skilled birth attendant?

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Midwives assisting a birth while astrologers consult sky charts; woodcut relief print from Jakob Rueff's De conceptu et generatione hominis (1554; The Expert Midwife). — midwifery Midwives assisting a birth while astrologers consult sky charts; woodcut relief print from Jakob Rueff's *De conceptu et generatione hominis* (1554; *The Expert Midwife*).

According to estimates from the World Health Organization, at least 62 percent of women in developing countries give birth with the assistance of a skilled birth attendant, such as an accredited midwife, physician, or nurse.1

The World Health Organization emphasizes that the training of skilled midwives is essential for improving maternal health and reducing infant mortality, aligning with global efforts such as the Millennium Development Goals. In contrast, lay or informally trained midwives are classified as unskilled birth attendants due to their lack of formal training in emergency techniques, which is associated with higher rates of maternal and infant mortality.1