Archive | Midwifery

The Lancet Global Health Series on Midwifery Goes Live

June 23, 2014 – The Lancet has published a series comprised of four international studies on midwifery. Developed by a multidisciplinary group of academics, researchers, women and child health advocates, clinicians and policy-makers, the collaborative approach to this series has resulted in the creation of a framework for quality maternal and newborn care.

With women and infants at the center of this framework and midwifery as a key component to its success, the findings of this series support a shift to a whole-system approach that provides quality care for all. In addition to presenting health practitioners and decision-makers with realistic, achievable, sustainable, and evidence-based strategies, the papers address current key issues and challenges affecting the provision of such care.

With the overall goal of positively impacting mothers and babies, it is hoped that the recommendations from this series will be tailored to meet the unique needs of individual communities and countries.

We are thrilled to see that three Home Birth Summit delegates, including Eugene Declercq, Holly Kennedy and Jane Sandall, are key contributors to this important series.

The executive summary can be viewed by clicking here.

Launch of the 2014 State of the World’s Midwifery Report

UNFPA State of the World's Midwifery ReportJune 3, 2014 – The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners have released the 2014 edition of State of the World’s Midwifery: A Universal Pathway – A Woman’s Right to Health. The report presents findings on midwifery from 73 low and middle income countries and a summary of the progress made since the inaugural report in 2011.

Despite the fact that 96 per cent of worldwide maternal mortality, 91 per cent of stillbirths and 93 per cent of infant mortality lies within these 73 countries, they still only have 42 per cent of the world’s physicians, midwives and nurses. According to the report, midwives could reduce maternal and newborn deaths by two thirds and investments in midwifery training at an international level could result in a 1,600 per cent return on investment.

Since the first edition of the report in 2011, 23 of the countries have executed strategies to improve workforce retention in rural and remote areas, and 20 countries have increased enrollment and placement of midwives in underserved regions.

Ensuring that pregnant women have access to at least four antenatal visits and improving access to emergency services when needed have been identified as key areas of focus in the fight to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes in the targeted countries.

The report can be viewed by clicking here.

US MERA 2nd Annual Face-to-Face Workgroup Meeting – Summary Released

ghApril 2014 – The US Midwifery Education, Regulation, and Association (US MERA) Workgroup met on April 10-13, 2014 to continue discussions on how to expand access to high quality midwifery care and physiologic birth for women in all birth settings in the US. The Workgroup includes representatives from AMCB, ACME, ACNM, MANA, MEAC, NACPM and NARM.

During this meeting, US MERA reached an important milestone – agreeing to work together to achieve several important action steps critical to the future of midwifery in the US. In addition, the following key topics were at the center of discussion: barriers to CPM licensing and practice; accreditation of midwifery education processes and programs; and innovative midwifery education models that prepare midwives for entry-level practice while incorporating cost containment.

Click here to read “2014 US MERA Meeting: A Summary Report”

US Midwifery Organizations Meet to Find Common Ground

April 22, 2013 – An historic joint meeting of seven organizations directly responsible for education, regulation and professional associations for the three U.S. midwifery credentials — ­CPM, CNM and CM — ­was held April 19-21, 2013. Named the United States Midwifery Education, Regulation and Association (US MERA) Work Group, the objectives were to: 1) strengthen the foundation for organizations responsible for midwifery education, regulation and associations to work collaboratively to advance the midwifery profession in the U.S., and 2) grow together as leaders creating the future of midwifery in the U.S. Member organizations include: American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), Accreditation Council for Midwifery Education (ACME), American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB), Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA), Midwifery Education Accreditation Council (MEAC), North American Registry of Midwives (NARM), and National Association of Certified Professional Midwives (NACPM.) Many HBCS delegates were present at this meeting. Link to the Joint Statment

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