Maternity care

A national survey of Canadian women’s experiences, perceptions, knowledge and practices before conception and during pregnancy, birth and the early months of parenthood. A project of the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Canadian Perinatal Surveillance System, which monitors and reports on determinants and outcomes of maternal, fetal and infant health in Canada. 

Presents a body of knowledge to inform and accelerate the availability of quality midwifery services for women and newborns throughout the world. Aims to make a valuable contribution both to strengthening the midwifery workforce around the world and to the critical planning that is needed to achieve the health Millennium Development Goals. Focused on 58 countries with high rates of maternal, foetal and newborn mortality.

This report resulted from the collaborative efforts of 30 agencies and organizations and hundreds of individuals working at national, subnational, regional and global levels. It is a response to the ‘Global Call to Action’ issued at the Symposium on Strengthening Midwifery at Women Deliver in Washington, DC in June 2010.

Countdown to 2015 is a global movement of academics, governments, UN agencies, foundations, health care associations and nongovernmental organizations formed in 2005 to track progress in reducing maternal and child deaths in the 68 countries where over 95% of these deaths occur. The movement aims to raise awareness and stimulate country action to accelerate progress towards reducing child mortality and improving maternal health.

The Roundtable was co-hosted by the Atlantic Centre of Excellence for Women's Health, with the Birthing Options Research Network, in partnership with the PEI Women's Network on February 21, 2004.

The objectives were to exchange ideas and develop strategies for ensuring that women on PEI receive the most appropriate primary maternity care. Participants were asked to discuss the current maternity and newborn care options available; how these options fit/or don't with the National Guidelines for Family-Centred and Newborn Care; how to improve primary maternity care; and how to ensure that the care is the most appropriate provided by the most appropriate provider thus opening up a discussion of doulas and midwives.

Explores concerns about the state of maternity care. 

Proposes a national birthing strategy to help address a shortage of maternity healthcare professionals and a looming maternity care crisis.