Unlocking Lifelong Health by Getting the First 400 Days Right - key initiatives to achieve reform in maternity care. On Wednesday 28 October 2026, the Australian Parliamentary Friends of Maternal Health hosted a session on Unlocking Lifelong Health by Getting the First 400 Days Right - key initiatives to achieve reform in maternity care. Thank you
A prevention-first approach transforms maternity care Investing in prevention during pregnancy is one of the most effective ways governments can improve population health across two generations, while delivering better outcomes at lower cost. A prevention‑first approach in maternity care shifts the system from reacting to crises to reducing them in the first place. Applied well,
A Woman-centred Maternity System Why Evidence Alone Is Not Enough Australia’s maternity system sits at an uncomfortable intersection between strong evidence and inconsistent implementation. On paper, the principles of high-quality maternity care are well established. National strategies, clinical guidelines, and international evidence describe in detail what safe, effective, and respectful maternity care should look like.
Relationship - The Foundation of Safe and Respectful Maternity Care When we think about safe maternity care, our minds often turn to clinical expertise, technology, and managing risk. These are essential. But they are only part of the story. Safety is also created through human relationships. A woman who feels listened to, respected, and genuinely
Healthy families and thriving communities A well mother is fundamental to healthy families and thriving communities. A mother's physical, mental, and nutritional wellbeing directly influences pregnancy outcomes, infant survival, child growth and development, and lifelong health. Evidence consistently shows that when mothers are healthy and well supported, their children experience better physical, cognitive, emotional, and
Maternity Care for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Women At the recent Parliamentary Friends for Maternal Health forum, we explored Maternity Care for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Women: Addressing Challenges and Opportunities, where we heard research findings alongside the lived experiences of culturally and linguistically diverse women. For many women, feeling safe during pregnancy and birth
Mothers In 2026, AI is rewriting the rules of work, creativity, and intelligence; changing the way we live our lives. But there's one job that still belongs entirely to some very special people. Mothers UNFPA hit the streets of New York to find out what that job is. View the video here.
Supporting Mothers, Strengthening Communities Mothers are at the heart of our families, communities, and future generations. Every day, women across Australia show extraordinary strength, resilience, and care as they nurture their children, support their families, and contribute to their communities. At Maternal Health Matters, we believe every mother deserves access to quality, respectful maternity care
How Feminism Connects to Maternity Care Feminism’s core commitment to equality, dignity, and freedom translates directly into the urgent need to transform maternity care systems so they uphold women’s human rights throughout pregnancy, labour, birth, and the postnatal period. Feminism, as described by UN Women, is a global movement focused on dismantling the social, political,
Everyone deserves equal rights, opportunities, and freedom. Feminism is often misunderstood, yet at its core it is simply the belief that everyone — regardless of gender — deserves equal rights, opportunities, and freedom. As UN Women explains, feminism is not a single ideology but a diverse, evolving global movement shaped by generations of women’s rights
