Shaping the Future of Midwifery: Insights from Global Health Challenges in Milan 

Advancing Midwifery Education and Practice 

The event focused on midwifery and the key challenges that must be addressed to enable midwives to work to their full scope of practice. Discussions explored the current state of midwifery in Italy and the need to align research and innovation with the needs of women, newborns, and society. Midwifery experts highlighted how evidence-based research can strengthen the profession and improve health outcomes. 

ICM provided a global perspective on advancing midwifery education and leadership. Sally Pairman, former Chief Executive of ICM, highlighted the importance of investing in midwifery education at all levels and advocating for policies that ensure a well-trained midwifery workforce capable of providing equitable access to care. She contributed insights on how strengthening midwifery education can directly impact health outcomes, stressing the need for evidence-based policies that support midwives in delivering high-quality care. 

Sally also contributed to discussions on the transition towards midwifery-led models of care in Italy. While this shift is still in progress, she reinforced the need to ensure that all women have access to midwives or small teams of midwives who provide continuity of care throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postnatal period. She emphasised the importance of integrating midwifery-led care into health systems, drawing on international examples to illustrate the benefits of continuity of care. Her contributions helped shape the event’s focus on the practical steps needed to strengthen midwifery education and practice in Italy, reaffirming the need for evidence-based policies that support midwives and the communities they serve. 

Collaboration, Leadership, and Research 

 Students engaged deeply with the application of the Midwifery Partnership Model,  in clinical practice. This approach enables midwives to develop advanced skills and strengthen their role in providing high-quality, personalised care. One of the key outcomes of the discussion was the proposal to establish a national network connecting midwifery programmes. This initiative would enhance collaboration, facilitate knowledge sharing, and promote best practices in midwifery education. 

The event also reinforced the importance of equipping midwifery students with strong clinical skills for entry into practice while emphasising the need to expand midwifery leadership, governance, and research. Strengthening these areas is essential to ensuring midwives can play a greater role in shaping the future of healthcare in Italy and beyond. 

Moving Forward Together 

Events like the one held in Milan are critical to advancing midwifery. When we come together with a clear objective, it becomes easier to craft a more actionable path forward. By fostering education, collaboration, and leadership, we can ensure that midwives are well-prepared to meet the evolving needs of women, newborns, and communities worldwide.