Plot Synopsis

Based on Jennifer Worth's best-selling trilogy and set in the 1950s, CALL THE MIDWIFE tells the tales of newly qualified midwife Jenny Lee as she arrives in London's East End to begin her career with a group of nursing nuns at Nonnatus House. Jenny, a young woman raised in the wealthy English countryside, has chosen to become a nurse and now, as a newly qualified midwife, has gone to work in the poorest area of the city. With the streets teeming with children -- families of between six and ten children are commonplace -- and with just one eight-bed maternity ward to serve the whole district of Poplar, most expectant mothers give birth at home in appalling conditions since few homes have indoor sanitation and none have hot running water. Jenny's patients include women like Conchita, who is on her 25th pregnancy and Mary, a prostitute and pregnant at just 15. In the show's 2012 holiday special, newly married Chummy and Nurse Jenny Lee are hard at work during their first Christmas in Nonnatus House, as nurses and nuns minister to an abandoned newborn. Season 2 opens with Trixie facing a difficult birth on board a Swedish trawler, Chummy making a big decision that may mean major changes at Nonnatus House, and Jenny Lee having a run-in with her old friend Jimmy, which brings out some feelings from her past she'd rather forget. Plus, Cynthia has her confidence shaken and doubts her ability as a midwife, while Jenny's skills are tested in a setting that's a far cry from the clinic and homes of Poplar. PBS aired the U.S. premiere of Season 1 (September 30, 2012) and Season 2 (March 31, 2013), airing episodes on Sundays at 8pm.

CALL THE MIDWIFE returned for its eight-episode third season on PBS on Sunday, March 30, 2014 at 8pm (check local listings). Season 3 opened in 1959 as the winds of change are sweeping through the country, as the nuns and midwives of Nonnatus House move into their new premises and welcomed Sister Winifred, a warm-hearted, innocent young woman.

On Sunday, March 29, 2015 at 8pm (check local listings), PBS aired the U.S. premiere of the fourth season of CALL THE MIDWIFE. Season 4 opens with Nurse Barbara Gilbert arriving at Nonnatus and, after a disastrous start, earning the respect of her colleagues by helping a new mother overcome difficulties. Trixie faces one of the most emotionally draining cases of her career, and the Turners broker a domestic deal that breaks the mold for the 1950s and '60s. Sister Evangelina finally agrees to undergo tests for her abdominal pain.

On Sunday, April 3, 2016 at 8pm (check local listings), PBS aired the U.S. premiere of the fifth season of CALL THE MIDWIFE. The season opens in the year 1961, and Poplar is beginning to feel the winds of social change with the improvements in housing, sanitation and healthcare. But for the midwives and nuns of Nonnatus House, it's business as usual, as they continue to care for the sick and bring new life into the world. The personal and professional lives of the nurses remain entwined, as events in their work impact on their personal choices. Throughout the season, the midwives encounter complex and challenging medical cases, ranging from an outbreak of typhoid to the increase in lung cancer, a teenage pregnancy and a mother who vanishes. But all are rocked when two babies with severe deformities are born under their care, several months apart from one another. As they struggle to understand why, they must find ways to deal with the resulting medical and emotional fallout.

On Sunday, April 2, 2017 at 8pm (check local listings), PBS aired the U.S. premiere of the sixth season of CALL THE MIDWIFE. Season 6 begins in 1962 and it is evident how times are changing, from increased liberation for women to the shadow of infamous gangsters to the introduction of new government policies. In Poplar, when the rather austere Sister Ursula is appointed the new head of Nonnatus House, Sister Julienne finds herself demoted and working alongside the midwives as an ordinary member of the staff. She is not the only one to face challenges closer to home. As they strive to help mothers and families cope with the demands of childbearing, disability, disease and social prejudice, the beloved medics must make choices -- and fight battles -- of their own.

PBS debuted the seventh season of CALL THE MIDWIFE on Sunday, March 28, 2018 from 8-10pm (check local listings). Nonnatus House welcomes a new midwife, Lucille Anderson. Elegant, compassionate and clever, Nurse Lucille is swift to settle in and brings a fresh new energy to life at Nonnatus House. Her story reflects the experiences of Caribbean nurses who traveled to the U.K. in the 1960s to support the expanding National Health Service. Season 7 of CALL THE MIDWIFE opens as the "Big Freeze" of 1963 continues and the midwives persevere through the intense winter. The nuns and nurses of Nonnatus House are being tested as they have never been before, both personally and professionally. All around them they see the old East End vanishing, as slum clearances make way for bold new tower blocks to accommodate expanding communities. They find themselves facing a wide range of medical challenges, from breech birth to cancer, Huntington's chorea and cataracts. Trixie and Christopher continue to develop their romance, while Tom and Barbara enjoy life as a married couple. Nurse Crane's authority is questioned from an unexpected source, and Sister Monica Joan is forced to accept her failing faculties. Additionally, life for the Turners is turned upside down when Shelagh decides to employ an au pair.

Season 8 of CALL THE MIDWIFE had its U.S. premiere on Sunday, March 31, 2019 at 8pm on PBS (check local listings). It's springtime, and with extra help needed in Poplar Mother Mildred decides to send Sister Frances and Sister Hilda to Nonnatus House, where they will live and work. Everyone is excited for the impending arrival of the Queen's baby. Violet is holding a Teddy Bears' Picnic and raising funds through a sweepstake on whether the Queen will have a boy or a girl. The midwives are introduced to their new midwifery bags but Sister Monica Joan is distressed when she sees Fred burning the old leather ones. Lucille is caring for heavily pregnant Lesley White, whose sister Cath, an aspiring model, has been feeling extremely unwell. Back at the maternity home, Shelagh has to step in to help Trixie with a birth that takes a surprise turn.

The ninth season of CALL THE MIDWIFE had its U.S. premiere on Sunday, March 29, 2020 at 8pm on PBS (check local listings). Opening with the funeral of Winston Churchill in January 1965, the Nonnatus House is entering a bold and innovative era. The familiar team of medics and midwives faces unexpected challenges as the population shifts, rules change and old diseases come back to haunt them. Alongside the joy and optimism of birth, they must cope with cases including diphtheria, drug abuse, cancer, tuberculosis and fistula. Meanwhile, their own experiences are fueled by love, loss and doubt -- and the very fabric of their lives is jeopardized when Nonnatus itself comes under threat of demolition.

CALL THE MIDWIFE returned to PBS for its 10th season on Sundays at 8pm ET from October 3 - November 14, 2021 with seven new episodes. Following the season finale, and in honor of the 10th season, a celebratory compilation episode, "Special Delivery," will air on November 21. Season 10 opens in the year 1966 at a trying time for the midwives. But there is excitement too as the women's rights movement intensifies. With Trixie's (Helen George) help, Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter) is determined to steer Nonnatus House out of its financial quandary. Dr. Turner (Stephen McGann) deals with an array of difficult cases, including a former soldier involved in nuclear test explosions. Meanwhile, Sister Monica Joan (Judy Parfitt) experiences a crisis of faith, and Sister Frances (Ella Bruccoleri) realizes she needs to be a little less spiritual to really connect with the local women. Nonnatus House also welcomes four new pupil midwives, including Nancy Corrigan (Megan Cusack), who makes quite an impression. There are some interesting challenges ahead, as well as great celebrations when England wins the World Cup.

On Christmas Day 2021 (Saturday, December 25) from 9-10:30pm (check local listings), PBS debuted CALL THE MIDWIFE's 2021 Holiday Special. Christmas 1966 promises to be memorable one. Following a long engagement, Lucille and Cyril are excited about their upcoming nuptials and can't wait to get married on Boxing Day (December 26). However, as the day approaches, nothing seems to run smoothly, and the wedding ceremony itself is put in jeopardy. While Nancy focuses on her final midwifery examinations, it is all hands on deck as the Nonnatus team prepare for what will inevitably be a busy Christmas. The maternity home is filled with expectant moms, each with their own challenging case.

Season 11 of CALL THE MIDWIFE made its U.S. debut on Sunday, March 20, 2022 at 8pm on PBS (check local listings). Following an eventful holiday special, the series picks up in the spring of 1967, where celebrations are underway for a colorful Easter bonnet parade outside Nonnatus House. Sister Monica Joan and Reggie are excited about the Eurovision song contest, while Cyril and Lucille settle into blissful married life. Nancy, having just passed her midwifery examinations, is about to don her red cardigan for the first time, and Sister Frances examines a newly married woman who presents some troubling symptoms. Derek and Audrey Fleming return to Poplar with good news. Builders demolishing a nearby tenement block make a shocking discovery that has a heartbreaking effect on the team. In the season opener, it's Easter 1967 and preparations are underway for a colorful Easter Bonnet parade outside Nonnatus House. However, Trixie is left shocked when routine building work nearby uncovers a terrible secret.

On Sunday, December 25, 2022 from 9-10:30pm (check local listings), PBS premiered the 2022 holiday special of CALL THE MIDWIFE. It is December 1967, and with Christmas fast approaching, life in Poplar is returning to normal after the terrible train crash. The midwives move the maternity clinic into new premises and are delighted when one of their first patients through the door is Rhoda Mullocks, who the team know well. Rhoda is heavily pregnant and understandably nervous after her last baby was born with limbs affected by thalidomide. Nurse Crane cares for a heavily pregnant single mother, recently released from prison, while Sister Frances is called out to deliver a Sylheti mother's child in a garment factory in a rough area of Poplar. Meanwhile, Fred decides that Poplar needs to come together to raise money for those families still affected by the train crash and pitches the wonderful idea of a festive talent show -- Poplartunity Knocks!

PBS premiered Season 12 of CALL THE MIDWIFE on Sunday, March 19, 2023 at 8pm (check local listings). It's 1968 and Enoch Powell's infamous "Rivers of Blood" speech creates serious tension in Poplar, especially when a group of dockers march in support of Powell. The midwives welcome a new nun, Sister Veronica, who's an instant hit with everyone -- except Nurse Crane. Meanwhile, Trixie's relationship with Matthew goes from strength to strength, while Nurse Crane helps Nancy with her financial woes. Sister Julienne enjoys helping out the district, Shelagh and Dr. Turner split their time between the busy maternity home and their lively young family and Reggie continues to bring joy into Violet and Fred's lives.

On Christmas Day 2023 (Monday, December 25) at 8pm (check local listings), PBS aired the "Holiday Special 2023" CALL THE MIDWIFE special. This year's special takes place two weeks before Christmas in 1968, where delicate situations cause uncertainty for the midwives. With the upcoming Apollo 8 launch and the festivity preparations starting, a treacherous heavy snowfall may complicate the holiday celebrations for everyone. Sister Monica Joan has shared with Nonnatus house that she believes it will be her last Yuletide after deciding she will not live to see a man walk on the moon. Trixie and her brother Geoffrey decided they must come up with a plan to lighten Sister Monica's mind. Elsewhere, Nancy has decided to stay at Nonnatus House as Sister Julienne offers her and Colette a room. Newlyweds Trixie and Matthew are back from their honeymoon and excited for their first Christmas together as husband and wife while Cyril hopes to help a lonely man living in a dilapidated basement flat who finds Christmas the hardest time of the year.

Season 13 of CALL THE MIDWIFE made its U.S. debut on Sunday, March 17, 2024 at 8pm on PBS (check local listings). It is now 1969, and the period drama returns with Poplar coping with the popularity of home births under the auspices of the Sisters. Season 13 will also see stories of poor housing challenges and health issues for the nurses, midwives, and nuns of the Nonnatus House. In the season opener, Nonnatus House kicks off a new pupil midwife training. Dr Turner supervises the delivery of a baby whose mother has cerebral palsy. The "Raise the Roof Campaign" for better pay and conditions creates a divide of opinion among the nurses.
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On Sunday, May 5, 2024 at 8pm, PBS aired the U.S. debut the Season 13 finale of CALL THE MIDWIFE. Miss Higgins receives an unexpected visitor, and Sister Monica Joan ruffles feathers. Poplar votes for its Mother of the Year.

CALL THE MIDWIFE has been renewed for Seasons 14 & 15.