A recent Cochrane Review, led by Professor Jane Sandall and colleagues, highlights the benefits of midwife continuity of care models for maternity services in the UK. These models, which involve consistent care from the same midwife or team throughout pregnancy, birth, and early parenting, have been shown to increase the likelihood of spontaneous vaginal birth and reduce rates of caesarean section or instrumental birth. Additionally, women receiving this care reported more positive experiences overall. The review, based on 17 studies involving over 18,000 women, found little to no difference in outcomes such as preterm birth or postpartum hemorrhage. However, there’s still uncertainty about the impact on certain complications and fetal loss. Future research is recommended, particularly focusing on women with social risk factors and those in low- and middle-income countries. Ongoing work led by Professor Jane Sandall’s team explores the benefits of midwife continuity models for diverse groups of women, including those at risk of preterm birth and from ethnic minorities or disadvantaged areas.
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fascinating how midwife continuity of care models can have such positive effects on maternity services in the UK. It’s great to hear that women receiving this care reported more positive experiences overall. I wonder how these models could be further improved to address certain complications and fetal loss, especially for women with social risk factors or those in low- and middle-income countries.