title: Improvement of maternal and newborn health through midwifery.
abstract: In the concluding paper of this Series about midwifery, we look at the policy implications from the framework for quality maternal and newborn care, the potential effect of life-saving interventions that fall within the scope of practice of midwives, and the historic sequence of health system changes that made a reduction in maternal mortality possible in countries that have expanded their midwifery workforce. Achievement of better health outcomes for women and newborn infants is possible, but needs improvements in the quality of reproductive, maternal, and newborn care, alongside necessary increases in universal coverage. In this report, we propose three priority research areas and outline how national investment in midwives and in their work environment, education, regulation, and management can improve quality of care. Midwifery and midwives are crucial to the achievement of national and international goals and targets in reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health; now and beyond 2015.
authors: Instituto de Cooperación Social Integrare, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: petra.tenhoope@integrare.es.
authors: Petra
authors: P
authors: ten Hoope-Bender
authors: UN Population Fund, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors: Luc
authors: L
authors: de Bernis
authors: Instituto de Cooperación Social Integrare, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: James
authors: J
authors: Campbell
authors: School of Health, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK.
authors: Soo
authors: S
authors: Downe
authors: Holistic Santé, Montpellier, France.
authors: Vincent
authors: V
authors: Fauveau
authors: Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, Oslo, Norway.
authors: Helga
authors: H
authors: Fogstad
authors: Faculty of Health, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors: Caroline S E
authors: CS
authors: Homer
authors: Yale School of Nursing, New Haven, CT, USA.
authors: Holly Powell
authors: HP
authors: Kennedy
authors: University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
authors: Zoe
authors: Z
authors: Matthews
authors: Mother and Infant Research Unit, School of Nursing and Midwifery, College of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK.
authors: Alison
authors: A
authors: McFadden
authors: Mother and Infant Research Unit, School of Nursing and Midwifery, College of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK.
authors: Mary J
authors: MJ
authors: Renfrew
authors: WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors: Wim
authors: W
authors: Van Lerberghe
mesh_terms: D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D008880:Midwifery / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D009721:Nurse Midwives / Q000600:supply & distribution; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D018743:Perinatal Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D054238:Perinatal Mortality; D011247:Pregnancy; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000592:standards