Deadly Midwife (2023) Ending Explained – What Was The Plan?
Movie Details: Director: Monika Mitchell | Runtime: 1h 28m | Release Date: 2023 | Star Rating: Rating: 2.5/5 Stars [star rating=”2.5″]
Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we are unpacking the ending to the Tubi Original thriller Deadly Midwife (2023). This movie feels very much like a Lifetime made-for-TV crime flick—silly, predictable, but ultimately quite enjoyable. If you haven’t watched it yet, check out my spoiler-free review first. Otherwise, let’s get into the details of Anthony and Olivia’s scummy plan.
⚠️ Warning: Major spoilers follow below.
The Ending in Brief
The TL;DR: Anthony (the husband) and Olivia (the mistress) planned to steal Lauren’s baby by gaslighting her into a mental breakdown. After having Lauren committed to a psych ward to build a record of “instability,” they planned to murder her and her original midwife, Julie, at a remote cabin and frame it as a murder-suicide. Their plan fails when Lauren fights back and Julie escapes her bindings. Lauren subdues Anthony and holds Olivia at hatchet-point until the police arrive.
What was the motive? Anthony resented Lauren for their fertility struggles and began an affair with Olivia. They wanted the child but viewed Lauren as an obstacle, deciding to use her history of mental illness to legally erase her from the baby’s life.
Is Julie and Rachel okay? Yes. Julie survived the kidnapping and helped Lauren in the final fight. Rachel, the student whistleblower, survived being shot in the face by Anthony and is undergoing reconstructive surgery.
The Resolution: Three months later, Lauren is raising her baby, Bailey (named after her mother). Anthony and Olivia are in custody facing multiple counts of kidnapping, attempted murder, and fraud.
Good to Know: The film is a classic domestic thriller that heavily utilises the “Gaslighting” trope, specifically exploring the power imbalance inherent when a medical professional (Anthony) enters a romantic relationship with a former patient (Lauren).
Table of Contents
Deadly Midwife (2023) Ending Explained
No plot recap here, just straight the explanation. Deadly Midwife centers on Lauren, a woman with a history of mental health struggles, and her husband Anthony, a psychologist who used his position of power to seduce her when she was his patient. When Lauren finally becomes pregnant, Anthony and his mistress, Olivia, concoct a plan to remove Lauren from the equation entirely.
What Was Anthony and Olivia’s Plan?
The duo’s ultimate goal was to steal Lauren’s baby and raise it as their own. To do this, Anthony abducted Lauren’s trusted midwife, Julie, and replaced her with Olivia. Olivia spent the pregnancy spiking Lauren’s smoothies with drugs to keep her weak, nauseous, and mentally foggy.
The plan involved “gaslighting” Lauren – a term I find overused, but here it fits perfectly. They undermined her sanity at every turn to make her feel like she was imagining the hostility towards her.
They eventually stage a scene where it appears as though Lauren tried to drown the baby and attack Olivia. This allows Anthony to have Lauren involuntarily committed to a psych ward for 72 hours, creating a paper trail of “instability”.
Exploiting Vulnerability: The Power Dynamics of Abuse
Anthony’s behaviour throughout the film is a textbook example of psychological exploitation, where he uses Lauren’s history of mental illness to weaponise her own reality against her.
Because Anthony was Lauren’s therapist, he has an intimate map of her triggers. When he repeatedly asks, “Did you take your medication?” or suggests her legitimate concerns are just “psychosis”, he isn’t caring for her; he is maintaining a state of dependency.
In a cruel twist of irony, the medical system that should have protected Lauren became his accomplice. By framing her “erratic” behaviour (which he caused) as a mental health crisis, he nearly succeeded in using the law to erase her maternal rights.
Weaponising the Law: Why They Wanted Lauren Committed
The decision to have Lauren involuntarily committed for 72 hours wasn’t just a distraction; it was the linchpin of their entire legal strategy. By getting a medical record of “homicidal psychosis,” Anthony and Olivia were effectively pre-writing the police report for her upcoming “suicide”. History of self harm, check. History of psychosis, check. You get the picture.
Under an involuntary hold, Lauren’s claims about a “fake midwife” or being “drugged” would be dismissed as delusions by hospital staff. This would allow the duo to safely plant evidence at the cabin and prepare the murder scene without any fear of Lauren being taken seriously by the authorities.
Furthermore, with Lauren legally declared a danger to her child, Olivia’s plan to register herself as the mother became far easier. They weren’t just trying to kill Lauren; they were trying to assassinate her character so thoroughly that no one would ever question her disappearance.
The Abduction of Julie: Removing the Obstacle
Julie wasn’t just Lauren’s midwife; she was a maternal figure who had raised her. This made her the biggest threat to Anthony’s plan. Because Julie knew Lauren so well, she would have spotted the drugging and gaslighting immediately.
To get her out of the picture, Anthony abducted her and held her captive in the very house where Lauren’s mother died. This wasn’t a random choice; it was a calculated move to tie the eventual murder-suicide plot back to Lauren’s family trauma.
By faking emails and correspondence from Julie claiming she had moved to London, Anthony and Olivia ensured the police wouldn’t come looking for her until it was far too late. It’s a chilling reminder of how easily the duo managed to isolate Lauren from her only real support system.
The Final Confrontation at the Cabin
Anthony and Olivia intended to take Lauren to her late mother’s cabin, a site of past trauma, where they held Julie captive. Their plan was to kill Julie, then hang Lauren to make it look like a murder-suicide driven by postpartum psychosis. Olivia would then register the birth at a hospital under her own name, claiming she was the one who gave birth at home.
However, Lauren had already begun to piece things together with the help of Rachel, a student Anthony had previously harassed. Though Rachel is shot by Anthony for finding security footage of Julie’s abduction, she manages to get the word out.
The Weston College Scandal: Rachel vs. Anthony
The backstory between Anthony and Rachel is the first major crack in his “perfect husband” facade. While Anthony presents himself as a professional psychologist, Rachel knows him as a predatory academic.
Anthony used his position at the university to sexually harass Rachel. When she refused his advances, he attempted to have her expelled by claiming she was the one harassing him. It’s a classic DARVO tactic (Deny, Attack, and Reverse Victim and Offender) designed to silence whistleblowers.
Ultimately, Rachel’s bravery in reporting the misconduct is what cost Anthony his job. Her presence in the film serves as a grim warning for Lauren: Anthony doesn’t just manipulate his patients; he treats every woman in his life as a target for his power plays.
How Does Lauren Survive?
At the cabin, Olivia (who turns out to be surprisingly strong) manages to knock Lauren out and begins to hang her from a noose. Just as Lauren is losing consciousness, Julie escapes her bindings and tackles “Henchlivia.” This gives Lauren the opening to clock Anthony – sending him into a comical pratfall.
Lauren runs up to Olivia with the hatchet and hits her around the head before holding the hatchet to her throat, ending the whole ordeal. I kinda thought she would cut her throat here and then realised I probably watch too much horror.
A Happy Ending… For Some
The movie wraps up three months later. Anthony and Olivia are in custody, and Lauren is living with her baby, Bailey. Julie is recovering from her injuries, and Rachel is surviving her gunshot wound, though both will likely have PTSD for the rest of their lives. Lauren finally reveals the baby’s name is Bailey (after her mother, though I’d like to think it’s after the cream liqueur).
Frequently Asked Questions
Why didn’t Lauren just leave?
Anthony was Lauren’s therapist before they married. He used his knowledge of her mental health history to manipulate her, making her doubt her own reality. It’s a classic example of psychological gaslighting.
What was the deal with the smoothies?
Olivia was spiking Lauren’s drinks with sedatives and nausea-inducing drugs to make her appear physically and mentally unwell to outside observers, including her doctor.
How did Olivia register the birth?
Olivia called the hospital claiming she had a home birth. Because she was acting as the midwife, she intended to use her “credentials” to register the child as her own biological son, effectively erasing Lauren’s maternity.
Is Rachel actually okay?
The film ends on a hopeful note, but realistically, Rachel has a long recovery. She was shot in the face by Anthony while trying to help Lauren, proving she’s the real MVP of the movie.
What happened to the original midwife, Julie?
Julie was kidnapped and held at the cabin because she knew about Anthony’s infidelity. She survived the ordeal and was instrumental in saving Lauren’s life during the final struggle.
Final Thoughts – Be Careful Who You Trust
Let’s be honest, Lauren was a little too trusting here. It took her a long time to realise that Olivia was completely nuts, despite her roaming around her house acting like queen bee with half of her tiddies hanging out. Still, this is one of a few movies where the whole Gaslighting trope actually makes sense. I kind of enjoyed it in a weird way. Thanks for reading!
Why not stick around and check out some Horror Movie Reviews, some Horror Movie Lists or some Horror Movie Ending Explained articles?
A Note on Ending Explanations
While we aim to provide comprehensive explanations based on the events on screen, film analysis is inherently subjective. The theories and conclusions presented in this "Ending Explained" feature are personal interpretations of the material and may differ from the director's original intent or your own understanding. That's the beauty of horror, right? Sometimes the scariest version is the one you build in your own head.
You might also like:
- Quicksand (2023) Ending Explained – What Happened in the Jungle
- The Watchers (2024) Review – A Serviceable If Flawed Directorial Debut
- Silent Night (2021) review – A tonally disjointed apocalypse where nobody is likable
- V/H/S/85 (2023) Review – A Solid And Stylish Return For The Found Footage Anthology
- 20 Parenthood Themed Horror Movies That Tap Into Familial Fears
Support the Site Knockout Horror is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. Basically, if you click a link to rent or buy a movie, we may earn a tiny commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps keep the lights on and the nightmares coming. Don't worry, we will never recommend a movie purely to generate clicks. If it's bad, we will tell you.
Disclaimer: Images, posters, and video stills used in this horror ending explained article are the property of their respective copyright holders. They are included here for the purposes of commentary, criticism, and review under fair use. Knockout Horror makes no claim of ownership and encourages readers to support the official release of all films discussed.
