Building healthy beginnings: A qualitative descriptive study of midwives’ role in identifying and promoting mentally healthy mothers in Australia

Background: Good mental health positively impacts public health by improving maternal and neonatal outcomes. Women benefit from routine care and health promotion provided by midwives. However, there is no documented evidence regarding midwives’ perspectives on their public health role in supporting mentally healthy mothers and little is known about midwives’ understanding and practices in this area. To address this evidence gap, the aim of this study was to qualitatively explore perspectives of identifying and promoting maternal mental health and wellbeing. Design and methods: A qualitative descriptive approach was used. Data were collected via online 1:1 interviews or a focus group. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: Ten midwives participated. Six semi-structured interviews and one focus group of four midwives were conducted. Five themes were generated: The Well Woman; Scope of Practice; Impact of Current Maternity System; Continuity of Care and Perinatal Mental Health Literacy. Conclusions: Findings indicate Australian midwives are well-placed to promote maternal mental health within routine practice but have limited resources. Midwives described promoting mental health as being within their role and scope of practice, reporting barriers including societal views, priorities, and systemic pressures of time and limited access to both publicly funded and private continuity of care models. Our findings suggest midwives in Australia are well-placed but not equipped to promote maternal mental health at present.