Background: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a significant occupational health problem among Indonesian midwives, especially in low resource healthcare settings. Demographic and personal characteristics such as age, body mass index (BMI), and years of professional experience are also significant predictors of musculoskeletal symptoms. Organizational and psychosocial elements including work overload, insufficient rest breaks, shift work, and limited workplace autonomy further exacerbate physical strain contributing to the development of MSDs among midwives. Existing literature often neglects the intersection of individual, workplace, and domestic factors that may further influence MSDs risks in women dominated professions.Objective: To determine whether MSDs affect the work performance of midwives and identified contributing individual and organizational risk factors.Methods: A cross-sectional online survey of 90 midwives in Yogyakarta public health centres around March-June 2025. Participant recruitment was conducted through purposive sampling. The questionnaire was structured into three sections: (1) sociodemographic and professional characteristics; (2) organizational support and ergonomic resources; and (3) self-reported musculoskeletal symptoms and related work impacts that utilised items adapted from the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ).Results: Over half (57%) reported MSDs affecting work performance. Chi-square analysis showed significant associations between BMI (χ² = 6.42, p = 0.04) and shift work (χ² = 5.83, p = 0.02) with MSD prevalence. Mid career midwives aged 31–44 years and those in the Obesity I BMI category (25–29.9) were the most affected. Organizational support was limited 83.3% lacked ergonomic guidelines, 87.8% had no ergonomic training, and 66.7% received no household assistance indicating the combined effect of occupational and domestic burdens.Conclusion: These results highlight the need for integrated ergonomic and psychosocial interventions to reduce MSD risks, improve job satisfaction, and promote workforce sustainability, reinforcing the importance of policy and workplace reforms to support midwives’ health and well-being. Further research is needed to examine the most dominant factors causing musculoskelatal disorders.
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