Midwives take care of women with normal pregnancies. They offer medical services (ultrasound examination, analysis of risk factors etc.) and psychological support (psychological counselling of future mothers or parents, birth preparation sessions etc.).

At hospitals, they take care of only 70% of childbirth cases. They monitor the development of the baby until birth and, if there are complications, they contact a gynaecologist or surgeon. After the birth of the child, the midwife checks the state of the baby’s health, looks after the child during the first days, and takes care of the mother's health, if necessary. Being self-employed, a midwife can work alone or with a partner or in a birthing facility for maximum support.

Help, support, empathy, and availability are of central importance for a trusting relationship with an expectant mother. Physical and also nervous resilience, a sense of responsibility, and the ability to maintain balance are also required, especially in the face of irregular working hours. The midwife can orientate herself/himself professionally towards research, teaching, or paediatrics. A minimum of five years’ training is required. The future midwife spends a year in medical school and is then further qualified for four years in a school for midwives.