Midwifery News and Research

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Group prenatal care improves health outcomes for mothers and babies

Women who attend prenatal care visits in groups are more likely to continue with their care and have better health outcomes at birth and beyond, according to a University of Michigan study.

31 Jul 2025

Doulas, once a luxury, are increasingly covered by Medicaid — even in GOP states

As a postpartum doula, Dawn Oliver does her best work in the middle of the night.

10 Jul 2025

WHO releases new guidance to expand midwifery care worldwide

The World Health Organization (WHO) today released new guidance to help countries adopt and expand midwifery models of care - where midwives serve as the main care provider for women and babies throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period.

18 Jun 2025

Older adults with obesity face barriers and stigma in social care

A new study has found that older adults living with obesity can feel judged or dismissed by care providers due to their weight, leading to a reluctance to seek help.

6 Jun 2025

New report reveals progress and persistent inequities among global nursing workforce

The global nursing workforce has grown from 27.9 million in 2018 to 29.8 million in 2023, but wide disparities in the availability of nurses remain across regions and countries, according to the State of the World's Nursing 2025 report, published by the World Health Organization (WHO), International Council of Nurses (ICN) and partners.

12 May 2025

WHO leads global action on maternal and newborn health for World Health Day

On the occasion of the World Health Day 2025 dedicated to the theme of Healthier beginnings, hopeful futures, over 100 global offices of the World Health Organization (WHO) have organized wide-ranging public advocacy actions in collaboration with Member States, communities, health workers, partner and donor agencies and civil society organizations.

11 Apr 2025

Qualified midwifery care reduces medical interventions during childbirth

A study carried out by researchers from the University of Granada (UGR), in collaboration with the Andalusian Association of Midwives, has determined that the healthcare provided by these qualified professionals has a positive impact on health and on the functioning of healthcare systems internationally.

9 Apr 2025

UN sounds alarm over funding cuts impacting maternal health

Women today are more likely than ever to survive pregnancy and childbirth according to a major new report released today, but United Nations (UN) agencies highlight the threat of major backsliding as unprecedented aid cuts take effect around the world.

7 Apr 2025

Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures: A Conversation with WHO’s Dr. Allotey

Dr. Pascale Allotey advocates for comprehensive maternal health policies, stressing the importance of women's voices in shaping effective healthcare solutions.

7 Apr 2025

Study provides a snapshot of substantial mental health burden on nurses

A first-of-its-kind study provides a snapshot of the substantial mental health burden on nurses around the world.

10 Feb 2025

Midwives blame California rules for hampering birth centers amid maternity care crisis

Jessie Mazar squeezed the grab handle in her husband's pickup and groaned as contractions struck her during the 90-minute drive from her home in rural northeastern California to the closest hospital with a maternity unit.

15 Jan 2025

Research identifies key stressors impacting midwives' wellbeing

Research into stress among midwives has identified the most effective actions individual midwives and healthcare trusts can make to enhance wellbeing and reduce negative outcomes, including staff leaving the profession.

19 Dec 2024

Study identifies key priorities for research on reducing psychiatric medication

Study hopes to inform the research agenda and help future research to focus on the questions that are most important to key stakeholders.

12 Nov 2024

Enhancing social support through non-traditional sources may help mothers with opioid use disorder

Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a growing public health problem among pregnant and parenting people in the U.S. Between 1999 and 2014, the number of pregnant women with OUD increased by more than four times.

28 Oct 2024

UCSF favors pricey doctoral program for nurse-midwives amid maternal care crisis

One of California's two programs for training nurse-midwives has stopped admitting students while it revamps its curriculum to offer only doctoral degrees, a move that's drawn howls of protest from alumni, health policy experts, and faculty who accuse the University of California of putting profits above public health needs.

3 Sep 2024

Innovative AI diabetes training module gets national recognition

The development of a new artificial intelligence-based tool that supports health professionals caring for people with diabetes has led to national recognition for a Northumbria University researcher and her team.

13 Jul 2024

New book on orthopedic and trauma nursing to be published in Chinese

A book on orthopedic and trauma nursing co-edited by Dr Mary Drozd, a senior teaching fellow in nursing at Aston University, is to be translated and published in Chinese.

10 May 2024

UQ study aims to understand experiences of ADHD in adult women

Women diagnosed in adulthood with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are encouraged to join a University of Queensland study into the impact of the diagnosis.

20 Mar 2024

Specialist support helps new moms with severe mental illness reduce relapse risk

New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King's College London, and in partnership with the University of Exeter and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, has found that women with a history of severe mental illness face a lower risk of relapse after giving birth in regions where they have access to a community perinatal mental health team (CPMHT).

23 Jan 2024

Being Black and pregnant in the deep South can be a dangerous combination

O'laysha Davis was a few weeks shy of her due date when in mid-August she decided it was time to switch doctors.

8 Dec 2023