Unique Conference on Pre-Hospital Midwifery
This week (Tuesday), approximately 200 medical professionals gathered at the Galilee Cultural Center in Givat Avni, Lower Galilee, to participate in a unique professional conference initiated for the first time by Magen David Adom (MDA) in collaboration with the Israeli Midwives Association
The conference focused on midwifery in the pre-hospital setting. Attendees included hospital and health clinic doctors, midwives, nurses, MDA paramedics, and emergency medical technicians (EMTs).
The conference opened with Yossi Halabi, Head of MDA's Immediate Response Department, who spoke about the organization and its life-saving work in pre-hospital settings. Throughout the event, senior medical professionals from hospitals, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), the Israeli Midwives Association, and MDA delivered lectures on various topics, including:
• Dr. Amit Hochberg, a neonatology specialist and head of the Neonatal and Premature Infants Department at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, who lectured on neonatal emergencies.
• Yossi Halabi, head of MDA's Immediate Response Department, who presented data on obstetric emergencies in pre-hospital settings.
• Hadar Shein Rosenbaum, a midwife and coordinator of the "Opening a Path" project, who provided insights on delivering babies in field conditions.
• Tal Shachak-Kimchi, a midwife, lactation consultant, and deputy head nurse in the labor ward at Nahariya Hospital, who spoke about neonatal resuscitation in pre-hospital settings.
• Ayelet Di Castro, a midwife and head of operations and technology at the Israeli Midwives Association, who discussed the "Opening a Path" project.
• Dr. Dafna Liber and Lt. Col. Ariel Yochanan, who lectured on communication and optimal functioning under pressure.
• An IDF medical officer (Lt. Col. R'), who spoke about the role of military medicine during wartime.
• Sasha Shoitov Menachem, a midwife at Shamir-Assaf Harofeh Medical Center and an MDA paramedic, who highlighted the importance of collaboration between midwives and paramedics in obstetric emergencies.
During the conference, MDA volunteer midwife Nechama Paltiel and MDA paramedic Ohad Porat shared a case study about an emergency delivery they conducted for a woman who went into labor while on a family vacation in Hispin. The birth took place in her room at a guesthouse.
Nechama, one of the first midwives to join the "Opening a Path" project, explained how the initiative provides professional support to pregnant women in northern Israel, ensuring a safe birth even in emergency or isolated situations.
The project, a collaboration between MDA, regional and local councils in northern Israel, and supported by the Jewish Federations of North America, equips midwives with full birth kits supplied by MDA and the Midwives Association.
At the end of the conference, approximately 40 new midwives signed up for the project and received specialized medical kits. They will serve as on-call midwives, dispatched by MDA alongside ambulances and mobile intensive care units to assist women in labor.
Yossi Halabi, Head of MDA's Immediate Response Department:
"For the first time, we held a professional conference for the medical community and MDA teams, led by senior lecturers in collaboration with the Israeli Midwives Association. Over the past year, we have worked closely with the association to improve medical response for women in labor before they reach the hospital.
A prime example of this effort is the 'Opening a Path' project, which operates in northern Israel to provide optimal medical support to women in labor. During the conference, we emphasized various emergency scenarios surrounding childbirth and the crucial connection between midwives and field teams. Participants left with valuable knowledge about pre-hospital midwifery."
Yuval Yaffa Mushkovitz, CEO of the Israeli Midwives Association:
"Nearly a year has passed since we first partnered with MDA through the 'Opening a Path' project—a unique initiative by the Midwives Association that adds immense value in both emergency and routine situations. We already see and feel the impact in the field. Several unplanned home births have demonstrated the critical importance of having a professional midwife by every woman’s side during labor.
The conference was incredibly interesting and enriching, with excellent lectures, great food, and beautiful weather that made networking even more enjoyable. We thank MDA for the collaboration and for organizing the conference, the northern regional councils for their support, and the Jewish Federations of North America for their backing of the project."
MDA Director General, Eli Bin:
"I want to thank our partners in the Israeli Midwives Association and the many guests who attended. These joint professional conferences are of utmost importance, as they significantly contribute to understanding the life-saving work of various medical organizations. They also enhance the quality of medical care.
This event facilitated connections between top experts, knowledge sharing, and strengthened our collective efforts to improve medical care and save lives in Israel and beyond, especially among newborns and mothers."
