A study has shown a greater number of healthy First Nations babies are being born through a new culturally tailored midwifery program. Source: The Catholic Weekly.
The Baggarrook Yurrongi or “Women’s Journey” model ensures women having a First Nations baby are cared for by a known midwife throughout pregnancy, birth and the early postnatal period.
The Mercy Hospital for Women, Royal Women’s Hospital, and Joan Kirner’s Women’s and Children’s department at Sunshine Hospital led the Melbourne-based La Trobe University study, which found there was a 45 per cent increase in babies born healthy.
The research also found babies were 33 per cent less likely to be born with low birthweight, 36 per cent less likely to be born early, 30 per cent less likely to require neonatal intensive care and that women were 86 per cent more likely to commence breastfeeding.
The research team analysed more than 164,000 births, including the outcomes of over 2000 First Nations babies across the three hospitals, making it one of the largest studies of its kind.
The findings show the model is helping to narrow disparities in birth outcomes, supporting progress towards the Closing the Gap target of more First Nations babies being born healthy and strong.
Lead researcher Della Forster, from La Trobe University’s Judith Lumley Centre and the Royal Women’s Hospital, said the findings showed locally tailored, culturally informed midwife continuity of care could make a measurable difference.
“The study highlights that when women are cared for by a known midwife who provides culturally informed care built around the needs of First Nations families, we see real improvements in short and long-term outcomes for mothers and babies,” Professor Forster said in a statement.
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Culturally tailored maternity care lifts healthy Indigenous birth rate: Vic study (By Tara Kennedy, The Catholic Weekly)
