Egypt’s Ministry of Health Targets Reducing C-Sections to 40% for Multiparous and 30% for Primiparous Women by 2028

Egypt’s Ministry of Health has unveiled a national strategy to reduce the high rate of cesarean deliveries and promote safe natural births by empowering trained midwives and expanding maternal care services nationwide.

  Sun , October 19 2025 / 10:24 PM Updated At: 2025-10-19 22:24:33

نائب وزير الصحة تعلن خطة خفض الولادات القيصرية وتعزيز نظام القابلات في مصر

Dr. Ablah El-Alfy, Egypt’s Deputy Minister of Health for Family Affairs, announced a comprehensive national plan to reduce cesarean section rates to 40% among multiparous women and 30% among first-time mothers by 2028, as part of the ministry’s ongoing efforts to improve maternal health and promote safe childbirth.

The announcement was made during the 39th Annual International Conference of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine – Alexandria University, which gathered leading Egyptian and international experts to discuss the latest developments in women’s health and obstetrics.

During a panel titled “Midwifery: From Vision to Reality”, Dr. El-Alfy expressed concern about the rising C-section rates in Egypt, citing the shortage of natural birth facilities and the lack of adequate equipment as key challenges. She stressed the need for nationwide awareness campaigns to encourage natural deliveries and highlight the potential risks of excessive cesarean procedures.

The Deputy Minister outlined two strategies: a short-term plan to support natural deliveries through better resources for obstetricians, and a long-term plan to establish a fully integrated midwifery system aligned with International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) standards.

She also announced that the ministry has begun training 1,000 new midwives through an eight-month national program and is reviving midwifery education in nursing faculties to meet the target of training 20,000 midwives to cover Egypt’s two million annual births.

Furthermore, the ministry has launched the “Doula” initiative, which focuses on training non-medical birth companions to provide emotional and psychological support to expectant mothers. Dr. El-Alfy emphasized the importance of updating outdated midwifery laws from 1954 and 1981 to align with modern medical practices and maternal care standards.

The session also featured contributions from Dr. Ahmed Mostafa, Dr. Hanaa Abu El-Qassem, and American midwife Aisha Al-Hajar, who shared international best practices in improving maternal and newborn health through structured midwifery systems.

According to the Ministry of Health, this initiative marks a major transformation in Egypt’s maternal healthcare system, balancing natural and cesarean births while ensuring safer outcomes for mothers and babies as part of Egypt’s 2030 health strategy.

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