A Roadmap for Action WOMEN DELIVER has published a 17-country survey on gender equality. The study's findings offer a roadmap of priority actions that governments, the private sector, and civil society should focus on to accelerate progress on gender equality. What is of interest is how relevant the road map is the achieving responsive, sensitive

Post-birth skin-to-skin contact reduces up to 36% infant deaths March 31, 2016 Research from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Boston Children’s Hospital says that skin-to-skin contact may reduce deaths for infants with low birth weight. Low birth weight infants are particularly vulnerable during their first month of life so the researchers

Skin-to-skin contact after birth reduces stress levels for mothers March 31, 2016 The benefits of skin-to-skin contact for babies after birth have been well documented. But what about for mothers? After all, they, too, have been on quite a journey. New research to be presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference & Exhibition

Don't throw the birth plan out with the bath water August 05, 2016 This welcome article explores the concept of legal consent and the use of birth plans to inform the consent process. The article reflects Safe Motherhood for All’s view of consent.  A woman always has a right to informed consent and the right of refusal

Only 58% of Australian women have the birth they want - 30 May 2017 Safe Motherhood for All Inc. today is launching the findings of the Birth Dignity Survey. As we continue our campaign for Respectful Maternity Care for all Australian women, new research from Safe Motherhood for All Inc. shows that only 58% of

Continuity of carer matters for childbearing women What is continuity of care? The National Maternity Service Plan defines ‘Continuity of Care’ as: “the practice of ensuring that a woman knows her maternity care provider(s) and receives care from the same provider, or small group of providers, throughout pregnancy, labour, birth and the postpartum period” (Commonwealth

Principles for maternity care – Still relevant in 2021 Maternity care should be evidence-based and woman-centred, and acknowledge pregnancy, birth and parenting as significant life events for women. Woman-centred maternity care is responsive to women’s needs and preferences, and enables them to access objective, evidence-based information that supports informed choices about their maternity care. Woman-centred

Why have Plan for Birth? Maternity care in Australia includes antenatal, childbirth and postnatal care for women and their babies. A Plan for Birth is a documented record of you preferences for your maternity care. Trust is essential as your experience of maternity care will influence the outcomes of your birth, the success of your

Cultural Safety – Respect and Dignity We are often asked why cultural safety is an important part of respectful maternity care. Cultural safety incorporates physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual well-being. A commonly used definition of cultural safety is that of Williams (1999) who defined cultural safety as: an environment that is spiritually, socially and emotionally