More First Nations babies are being born healthy through a culturally tailored midwifery model of care delivered at three major maternity services in Melbourne, according to a large-scale study led by La Trobe University.
The Baggarrook Yurrongi or "Women's Journey" model ensures women having a First Nations baby are cared for by a known midwife throughout pregnancy, birth and the early postnatal period.
The culturally tailored model was developed in partnership with First Nations health units at each maternity service and the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation.
The study, published in The Lancet journal eClinical Medicine, found the program led to significantly better outcomes for First Nations babies, including a 45 per cent increase in babies born healthy.
The research also found babies were 33 per cent less likely to be born with low birthweight, 36 per cent less likely to be born early, 30 per cent less likely to require neonatal intensive care and that women were 86 per cent more likely to commence breastfeeding.
The research team analysed more than 164,000 births, including the outcomes of over 2000 First Nations babies, across the Royal Women's Hospital, Mercy Hospital for Women and Joan Kirner Women's and Children's at Sunshine Hospital, making it one of the largest studies of its kind.
The study compared outcomes before the model was introduced (2012-2017) with those after it was implemented (2017-2022), providing real-world evidence that culturally tailored care delivers better outcomes for families over time.
The findings show the model is helping to narrow disparities in birth outcomes, supporting progress towards the Closing the Gap target of more First Nations babies being born healthy and strong.
Lead researcher Professor Della Forster, from La Trobe University's Judith Lumley Centre and the Royal Women's Hospital, said the findings showed locally tailored culturally informed midwife continuity of care could make a measurable difference.
"The study highlights that when women are cared for by a known midwife who provides culturally informed care built around the needs of First Nations families, we see real improvements in short and long-term outcomes for mothers and babies," Professor Forster said.
"Importantly, our before-and-after analysis demonstrates these improvements are not just incremental, they represent a meaningful step towards closing the gap in perinatal health."
More than 64 per cent of eligible women received the Baggarrook Yurrongi model during the study period. The model had very strong uptake and women reported high satisfaction with the care they received. The midwives providing this care also reported positive experiences, highlighting its sustainability in practice.
Evelyn Burns, a Clinical Midwife Specialist at the Royal Women's Hospital and First Nations woman, said the impact of continuity care was clear.
"I get to walk alongside women and their families during one of the most important times in their lives and that continuity really matters. You can see the difference when care feels culturally safe - women are more confident, more connected and more supported every step of the way."
At the Mercy Hospital for Women, the model is delivered through the Nangnak Baban Murrup program. More than 700 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have received this type of care since it was implemented in 2018.
Natalie Roberg, Continuity of Care Manager of the Maternity Group Practice at Mercy, said having a known midwife was key to building trust.
"For some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, pregnancy takes place against a backdrop of previous poor experiences with healthcare systems, leaving women unsure if their cultural needs will be understood and respected.
"Having a known midwife throughout pregnancy creates an opportunity to build trust over time, rather than having to start from the beginning at every appointment."
The Joan Kirner Women's and Children's at Sunshine Hospital has six midwives providing care to about 151 First Nations families each year through the Galinjera program.
Grace Arnold, a Clinical Midwife Specialist in Galinjera at Western Health, said the work was meaningful and the study's findings reflected what clinicians were seeing on the ground each day.
"Women are more likely to attend appointments, raise concerns and ask questions about their pregnancy when they feel safe in a trusted relationship with a known midwife."
Professor Forster said the findings strengthened the case for scaling up culturally tailored midwifery continuity-of-care models across the country so that all women having a First Nations baby have access to safe and effective maternity care for First Nations families.
- Case study available on request.
- DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2026.104028
PHOTO: (L-R) Jo Pappas, Mercy Hospital for Women Manager of Aboriginal Programs, mum Sarah Bayliss with son Jiraiya who came through Mercy's Nangnak Baban Murrup continuity of care model, and Professor Della Forster, lead researcher at La Trobe University.
