Prevalence, Related Factors, and Levels of Burnout Among Midwives: A Systematic Review

Burnout refers to a constellation of feelings of exhaustion, depersonalization, and low sense of personal accomplishment that develops secondary to long-term occupational stress. Several studies have identified that health care professionals are a high-risk occupational group for burnout, but knowledge about this syndrome among midwives has not been fully explored. The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review of the prevalence and levels of burnout among midwives and analyze the related factors.

The following databases were searched: CINAHL, LILACS, MEDLINE, ProQuest, PsycINFO, SciELO, and Scopus. Any date of publication was acceptable. Literature from different countries was included. Studies were appraised for quality following the recommendations of the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine.

The literature review identified 27 studies with a total of N = 5612 midwives. The main factors related to burnout were working conditions such as work overload, lack of autonomy, and professional recognition. Midwives who had less than 10 years of experience were more vulnerable to burnout than those who had more than 10 years' experience. With regard to the subcategories of burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and perceived personal achievement), midwives who did not live with a partner were more vulnerable low levels of personal accomplishment when compared with midwives who were living with a partner. The most significant protective factors against burnout were good leadership and the use of continuity models of care.

Midwives had moderate levels of emotional exhaustion and low levels of personal accomplishment. Working conditions were identified as the main modifiable factors related to burnout syndrome. Intervention programs for midwives should be aimed at reducing emotional exhaustion and enhancing personal accomplishment.