Strengthening midwifery in Asia and the Pacific region

We have a program of work that is generating and translating new knowledge that strengthens the impact and capacity of midwifery, to reduce maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity in Asia and the Pacific region through strengthening midwifery services. 

Approximately 800 women die each day globally related to pregnancy and childbirth, and an estimated 20 to 30 times that number experience pregnancy-related severe morbidity. Approximately 2 million babies are stillborn after 28 weeks of gestation while 2.4 million infants die in the first month of life. Most deaths are preventable and more than 90% occur in low- and middle-income countries. The Asia-Pacific region includes 36 low- and middle-income countries (22 in Asia and 14 in the South Pacific) with 240 women dying each day due to pregnancy-related causes.

Many Asia-Pacific countries face numerous challenges, including poor-quality antenatal, childbirth and postnatal care, limited access to modern contraceptive methods and significant shortages in the health workforces especially midwives.

What we're doing

Our research has shown that scaling up midwifery services is critical to preventing maternal and newborn deaths in low- and middle-income countries. Despite this, the State of the World’s Midwifery Report estimated that there was a global shortage of 900,000 midwives. This is exacerbated by gaps in quality of care due to poor midwifery education, workforce gender discrimination and a lack of midwifery leadership. 

We hypothesise that strengthened midwifery—education, models of care and leadership—will deliver improved outcomes by reducing maternal and newborn deaths and stillbirths.