The essential needs of childbearing women in all countries, and of their babies and families, are the focus of this thought-provoking series of international studies on midwifery. Many of those needs are still not being met, decades after they have been recognized. New solutions are required. The Series provides a framework for quality maternal and newborn care (QMNC) that firmly places the needs of women and their newborn infants at its centre. It is based on a definition of midwifery that takes account of skills, attitudes and behaviours rather than specific professional roles. The findings of this Series support a shift from fragmented maternal and newborn care provision that is focussed on identification and treatment of pathology to a whole-system approach that provides skilled care for all.
- Access the full series on The Lancet
- Read the Executive Summary
Comments:
- R. Horton, O. Astudillo. The power of midwifery
- C.Sakala, M.Newburn. Meeting needs of childbearing women and newborn infants through strengthened midwifery
- W. Stones, S. Arulkumaran. Health-care professionals in midwifery care
- J. Shamian. Interprofessional collaboration, the only way to Save Every Woman and Every Child
- L. Freedman, M. Kruk. Disrespect and abuse of women in childbirth: challenging the global quality and accountability agendas
Series:
- M. Renfrew, A. McFadden, M. Bastos, et al. Midwifery and quality care: findings from a new evidence-informed framework for maternal and newborn care
- C. Homer, I. Friberg, M. Bastos Dias, et al. The projected effect of scaling up midwifery
- W. Lerberghe, Z. Matthews, E.Achadi, et al. Country experience with strengthening of health systems and deployment of midwives in countries with high maternal mortality
- P. Hoope-Bender, L. de Bernis, J. Campbell, et al. Improvement of maternal and newborn health through midwifery