New funding for midwives: Support for Brandenburg's obstetrics!

New funding for midwives: Support for Brandenburg's obstetrics!

On July 10, 2025, the Brandenburg Ministry of Health presented a newly revised midwife support guideline. This focused on the needs of midwives with a lot of empathy in order to support their entry into freelance work and to ensure long-term obstetric care in the country. The policy came into effect retroactively to January 1, 2025 and will remain in effect until the end of 2026. An annual funding budget of 250,000 euros is intended to provide targeted, robust stimulus.

Midwives who practice their profession in Brandenburg or attend training here can now submit applications for funding. This funding applies to various aspects, such as supporting trainees, setting up your own practices or birthing centers, as well as returning to obstetrics or taking part in further training measures. The need is noticeable, because the number of employed midwives has increased by over 40% to 249 in the last 13 years, while the number of freelance midwives has increased from around 400 in 2010 to around 520 in 2023. A total of around 625 midwives are currently active in Brandenburg, which represents a promising development for obstetrics. Cityreport informs that these positive figures are a sign of the growing need for high-quality obstetric care.

Support offers in detail

The new funding guidelines provide for a wide range of support options. Midwives who set up a practice or a birthing center can receive funding of up to 20,000 euros. You can get up to 7,500 euros to set up your own practice without obstetrics. The state also participates in further training measures: up to 80% of the costs for further training courses for quality assurance or re-entry can be reimbursed. Please note that applications must be submitted by December 31, 2024. This gives midwives the opportunity to develop sustainably in their professional careers. Hebammen Brandenburg emphasizes that this is of great relevance for both old hands and newcomers.

The externship funding is particularly valuable, which includes a flat rate of 20 euros per day and a maximum of 1,200 euros for a twelve-week externship. This enables midwives who are trained in schools outside of Brandenburg to deepen their knowledge in a practical manner. A clear opportunity to put the training directly into practice. For many of them, this is a crucial step in order to be able to establish themselves nationwide.LASV emphasizes that these measures are not only financial, but also emotional provide support.

Current challenges and outlook

Although the number of midwives in Brandenburg is increasing, they also face challenges. Birth numbers are showing a decline, from 19,029 births in 2021 to just 15,885 in 2023. In order to reverse these trends, it is all the more important that midwives can concentrate on their core competencies and receive the necessary support. Participation in numerous services that go beyond obstetric care, such as prenatal care or postpartum care, shows that midwives are much more than just birth attendants and provide comprehensive medical and social support for women in this special phase of life.

The newly implemented guideline is a decisive step towards improved support and qualification for midwives in Brandenburg. This should not only secure professional existence, but also ensure the long-term quality of obstetric care in the country. The coming years will show what fruits these measures will bear.