The time to push is now. The New Zealand College of Midwives has launched a petition and digital postcard campaign to raise awareness amongst politicians about the issues midwives are facing. The #backmidwives petition calls on the…

After broken promises and more than four years of negotiating with the Ministry of Health, the country’s midwives have had enough. “It is time to really push to get better support and funding for our…

The biggest ever Australian study on where women give birth has shown that giving birth at home or in a birthing unit is safe for well-women and babies.  This study confirms the existing evidence from New Zealand and other countries (such as the UK and Canada) that birthing in midwifery led units or at home reduces unnecessary birth interventions for women without compromising the safety of them or their babies.

MEDSAFE have issued an Alert Communication on medicines containing Ranitidine (Zantac) Medicines containing ranitidine may contain an impurity called N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). These medicines may be prescribed or can be purchased over the counter and are…

For the past four months, DIA Life Events, along with Ministry of Justice, IRD, the Service Innovation Lab, and Sands (a not-for-profit Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Support organisation) have been working to create a support…

A plea from midwives: ‘It’s not rocket science; improve the pay and conditions and we’ll come back to work’   https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/115818384/a-plea-from-midwives-its-not-rocket-science-improve-the-pay-and-conditions-and-well-come-back-to-work   For those who help bring new life into the world, stress is high and money low…

Wanaka will get a birthing unit with financial backing from National if it gets into power, leader Simon Bridges says. The Opposition leader announced their commitment to a primary birthing unit in Wanaka on Thursday,…

“Recruiting midwives from overseas tells us the DHB just doesn’t get it.”

That from the chair of the Wellington Region of the College of Midwives, Siobhan Connor, following the news that Hutt Valley District Health Board is targeting midwives from overseas to help fill gaps in maternity units.

Re: Comment: Art Green and Matilda Rice’s social media post irresponsible – home births risky (headline subsequently changed to ‘Art Green and Matilda Rice's home birth - be sure you know the risks’

The comment from an 'anonymous doctor' posted online by The New Zealand Herald on 9 September about home birth does not give an accurate view of the evidence on this option for birth in New Zealand and needs to be challenged on a number of points.