The NMAP calls on both Federal and State/Territory governments to facilitate substantial change to the way in which maternity services are provided, by making available to all women the choice of having a community midwife provide continuous maternity care through the publicly funded health system.
Midwives are able to follow individual women across the interface between community and acute health services and to provide care to each woman from early in her pregnancy until the baby is 4–6 weeks of age.
Continuity of midwifery care has been proven to result in fewer women needing expensive obstetric interventions, such as caesarean surgery and operative deliveries.
Research also shows that such care contributes to long-term breastfeeding, improved adjustment to parenting, and may lower the incidence of postnatal depression.
Widespread access for pregnant women and their families to continuous care provided by community midwives would: