According to the Midrash, when Pharaoh told the midwives to kill all newborn Jewish male babies he was speaking to the Hebrew midwives Yocheved and Miriam. The question arises, how could Pharaoh ask Hebrew midwives to kill Hebrew babies- why didn't he ask Egyptian midwives? How could he think Hebrew midwives would be willing to kill Jewish babies?
The answer is Pharaoh told them: "What kind of life is it anyway to be in poverty and bondage?" But Yocheved and Miriam didn't listen and did everything they could to promote Jewish childbirth in Egypt, as it is written "and they saved the children.." (Exodus 1:17)
After these events, Miriam was given the additional name Efrat, since the word "Efrat" has the same root found in the Hebrew words "pru u'revu" which means be fruitful and multiply.
Today, the Efrat Organization plays the same role in Israel, as Miriam did in Egypt. When so many women say they worry whether they can afford having a child, Efrat is there to provide the social and financial support to help these women bring their babies to term.