Project R-15329

Person and family-centered maternity care in Belgium: integrating psychosocial outcomes into the evaluation of midwife continuity of care models versus other models of care for childbearing women. (Research)

Belgium, with a population of 11.8 million and over 116,000 births in 2023, faces significant challenges in maternity care. Statistics show that 6 out of every 1,000 babies die at birth, and 6.2 maternal deaths occur per 100,000 live births. These figures highlight the urgent need to prioritize both medical and emotional well-being in maternity care. Antidepressant use among parents of infants under one year is higher than in the general population, with 4.7% of mothers initiating treatment compared to 2.9% of other women, signaling a deterioration in mental health. Midwife continuity of care, which fosters trust and emotional support between caregivers and mothers, reduces anxiety and empowers women during pregnancy and childbirth. Despite its global growth, access to such care remains limited in Belgium, with only 1.25% of births in 2022 being midwife-led. Additionally, midwife-led births in Belgium show cost-saving potential, although research on their medical and cost-effectiveness is still limited. This project outlines four work packages (WP1–WP4) to investigate midwife continuity of care in Belgium, including defining the concept (WP1), analyzing outcomes in midwife continuity of care versus hospital births (WP2), preparing for the analysis of the emotional impacts on families (WP3), and preparing for a cost-effectiveness analysis (WP4). The goal is to understand the medical, emotional, and economic benefits of midwife continuity of care.

01 January 2025 - 31 December 2026