The Maternity Crisis in Australia is worsening: why the silence? One in three Australian mothers experience physical and emotional birth trauma.  One in 10 emerges with post-traumatic stress disorder. For many it begins with induction.  From there women are at risk of the cascade of consent.  First time mothers have over 40% chance of induced

2021 Theme: Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now! PHOTO:UN Women While the international day is about all women, we today will focus on pregnant women. A pregnancy without violence for all women is possible with education, essential services across policing, justice, health, and social sectors, and sufficient financing dedicated to women’s rights. The

Make sure pregnancy, birth and postnatal care is culturally sensitive We need to acknowledge and accommodate that each of us come from diverse backgrounds and bring with us our own beliefs and cultural preconceptions. Because of this, genuinely connecting with a mother from a different background can be difficult; at best, she may feel there

Respectful Maternity Care for Healthier Mums and Babies How a women perceives the quality of her maternity care impacts on her transition to motherhood, with consequences for her health and her baby’s health.  Any mother who births should emerge feeling confident and capable of caring for herself and her baby, regardless of the pathway her

We should take the opportunity to ensure safe and respectful maternity care for all women. As a society we require rigorous data, to evaluate outcomes and identify poor quality maternity care. Data holds key: It demonstrates the size and nature of problems, and brings clarity around who is falling through the cracks. An improved national

Compassion and why it is relevant in maternity care We know that compassion and support generally feature high on pregnant women’s wish lists. We also know that some pregnant women fear the pain of childbirth. But do maternity care providers feel that managing pain is more useful than compassion? There’s plenty of science now that

How to Assess Compassion? "Compassion, can affect not only the outcomes for our patients, but also the financial health of our organizations and the well-being of our providers." — Donald Berwick, MD President emeritus, Institute for Healthcare Improvement Do you feel respected by and in partnership with your maternity care professional?  This simple 5-item tool

The Essence of Dignity and Respect Excellent maternity care has a unique ability to dignify. It can make women feel valued, respected, honoured and seen. Dignified care and environments are those in which both the woman’s values and vulnerability are acknowledged and accommodated simultaneously, where she is recognised, understood, treated with safety, fairness and accountability.

Dignity The right of every human being to live a dignified life, a life worthy of honour and respect. This includes pregnant women and dignity as the guiding factor for every action Dignity is evidenced by the values of respect, kindness, understanding, tolerance, and compassion. The right to dignity incudes access to health care, education,

The Maternal Metamorphosis: Becoming a mother in Australia (1945-2020) The 2021 Trevor Reese Memorial Lecture delivered by historian Dr Carla Pascoe Leahy from the University of Melbourne examines the changing cultural attitudes towards motherhood, changing theories of maternal subjectivity, and how mothers’ own experiences are remembered in oral history interviews. The lecture asks what happens