Board of Midwifery

Code of Ethics

Preamble
T h e p r i n c i p l e s a n d r u l e s o f c o n d u c t e m b o d i e d i n t h i s C o d e a i m t o h e l p midwifery
practitioners, as individuals and as a professional group, to pursue and maintain a high level of
ethical conduct in the practice of midwifery. They are simply criteria or measures by which a
midwife may be guided in her professional conduct and in her relationship with her patients, co-
practitioners, members of allied professions and the public in general.

Section I
T h e p r i m a r y o b j e c t i v e o f t h e m i d w i f e r y p r o f e s s i o n i s f o r i t s m e m b e r s t o render
service within the scope of their legitimate functions, having in mind that their patients, regardless of
religion, social or economic status, deserve respect as human beings. A midwife should endeavor
to deserve the confidence of the p a t i e n t s u n d e r h e r c a r e b y r e n d e r i n g t o e a c h o f
t h e m d e d i c a t e d a n d s e l f l e s s service to the full extent of her skill and competence.

Section II
A midwife should try her best to continually improve her knowledge & skill for the benefit of her patients
and to share with her co-practitioners any valuable practical knowledge that she may have gained
by experience in the practice of her profession.

Section III
A midwife is expected to practice on a scientific basis and to desist in the performance of any midwifery
procedure which is of doubtful or questionable propriety from the standpoint of medical or scientific
principles.

Section IV
The midwifery profession should contribute to the safeguarding of
publich e a l t h a n d s h o u l d p r o t e c t i t s e l f a g a i n s t t h e a d m i s s i o n i n t o i t s m e m b e r s h i p
m i d w i v e s w h o a r e d e f i c i e n t i n p r o f e s s i o n a l c o m p e t e n c e a n d r e q u i s i t e m o r a l chara
cter. It is incumbent upon every midwifery practitioner to observe the law, t o u p h o l d t h e h o n o r a n d
d i g n i t y o f h e r p r o f e s s i o n , a n d t o a d h e r e f a i t h f u l l y t o professional discipline. It is the
professional duty of every midwife to bring to the attention of the proper authority, through
legitimate procedures, the illegal or unethical conduct of any co-member of the midwifery
profession, without bias or p e r s o n a l a n i m o s i t y , b u t s o l e l y f o r t h e m a i n t e n a n c e o f t h e
g o o d n a m e o f t h e profession as well as public interest and welfare.

Section V
A midwife who has accepted a patient under her care should render service to the patient the best of her
ability. She should not neglect the patient under any circumstance within her control.
Section VI
A midwife should not compromise her services to the patients under terms or conditions which would
impair the quality of patients- care.

Section VII
I n t h e p r a c t i c e o f m i d w i f e r y , a m i d w i f e m u s t c o n f i n e t h e s o u r c e o f h e r income to
the midwifery services she has actually rendered. Her fees should be commensurate with
the services performed and, if need be, with the patient’s ability to pay. It is highly improper for
a midwifery practitioner to pay or receive a commission for referral of patients made to or by her.
Section VIII

A midwifes- legitimate functions cover performance of midwifery services only to normal

A m i d w i f e i s b o u n d b y p r o f e s s i o n a l e t h i c s n o t t o r e v e a l a n y i n f o r m a t i o n given by
her patient in the course of the Patients- care or treatment, whether such information is
addressed to her or to the attending physician, unless under the law, she is required to testify on
such information to serve the ends of justice.
Section X
The ideals of service envisioned by the midwifery profession call for ad e d i c a t
i o n o f t h e m i d w i f e s - c a p a b i l i t i e s n o t o n l y i n d i v i d u a l b u t a l s o t o t h e com
munity in which she practices to the end that she may be able to contribute

to the improvement of the health of her patients and to the health and well-being of her community.
Section XI
A midwife should participate in research activities or in any effort of the midwifery profession
to improve midwifery training and practice, and to take
parti n e s t a b l i s h i n g a n d m a i n t a i n i n g c o n d i t i o n s o f e m p l o y m e n t c o n d u c i v e t o h i g h -
quality maternity and infant care.

Section XII
As a member of the health team, a midwife should work with interest and concern, together
with other members of the health team, in promoting efforts to m e e t t h e h e a l t h n e e d s o f t h e
p u b l i c . T h e f o r m u l a t i o n o f a c o d e o f m i d w i f e r y ethics that is complete and all-embracing is
not feasible. A registered midwife, in the course of her professional practice, will realize that a code
of ethics, however, well it is formulated has certain limitations. The code for instance, may not point o u t
how a midwife may resolve or reconcile a conflict between personal and
professional views. The code may not likewise indicate a remedy for resolving conflict that
may stem from changing social principles, goals and standards which are held or may later be accepted
by the midwifery profession. Such inadequacy o f t h e c o d e u l t i m a t e l y l e a v e s t h e
m i d w i f e t o h e r s e l f i n d e c i d i n g w h a t m o r a l principles should govern her course of action
when faced with ethical problems in the practice of her profession. In brief, a code of midwifery ethics, like
any other code of professional ethics, cannot be expected to cover in detail all the activities of the
midwife. Hence, a midwife is not duly bound to confine herself to the rules set by any adopted code of
midwifery ethics. However, it is incumbent upon her to observe at all times the ideals of her profession
and to adhere faithfully to the well-recognized unwritten ethical and professional rules
generally accepted by the midwifery profession.

Section XIII
EFFECTIVITY
T h i s c o d e s h a l l t a k e e f f e c t u p o n a p p r o v a l b y t h e C o m m i s s i o n a n d a f t e r fifteen
(15) days following its publication in the Official Gazette. Done in the City of Manila, this 30th day of June,
1988.