Giving Compass' Take:

• Nazeem Muhajarine and Daphne McRae explain how their research revealed that marginalized, poor women benefitted the most from the care of midwives. 

• How can philanthropists help to increase access to high-quality midwifery? 

• Learn about maternal and infant mortality in the United States.


A new study of women in lower socioeconomic circumstances in British Columbia found midwifery care to be an effective model of prenatal care, significantly lowering the likelihood of preterm births, and small and low birth-weight babies.

Women who are marginalized by poverty may be reaping the greatest benefits from midwifery care. This is the finding of a large study that we published with colleagues this week in the British Medical Journal Open.

We found that women who were eligible for government assistance and were seen by a midwife for prenatal care had a significantly lower likelihood of preterm birth, small and low birth-weight babies.

The study, which drew on evidence from 57,872 pregnancies, made sure that women who were seen by midwives were of comparable health status to women seen by general practitioners and obstetricians during the prenatal period.

A common belief is that midwifery care is only affordable for, and sought after by, wealthy and educated women. This is not always the case. Our research shows that midwifery care is an effective model of prenatal care for women living in lower socioeconomic circumstances.

We hope that this evidence may help pave the way for maternal health policy to address ongoing health disparities experienced by mothers and babies living in poverty in Canada.

Read the full article about midwives by Nazeem Muhajarine and Daphne McRae at News Deeply.