New Midwife Care Model Improves Well-Being of Vulnerable Families

Photo credit: Familystart A new home-based midwife care model has shown promise in improving the well-being of women in vulnerable family situations and preventing early chronic childhood stress according to a new study published recently in BMC Health Services Research. The new model of care resulted from a partnership between the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) and Familystart in Basel, Switzerland. Such a model of care could be applied to all Swiss cantons. Home-based midwife care is covered by basic health insurance in Switzerland for all mothers with newborns, but must be organised by the mothers themselves. To ensure that everyone has access to these services, Familystart, a midwifery network which guarantees postpartum care for all new mothers and babies discharged from hospitals in Basel, Switzerland, supports new mothers who may lack the resources or capacity to organise postpartum care on their own. To meet the special needs of vulnerable mothers and newborns, Familystart launched a new model of care called SORGSAM (Support at the Start of Life) that focuses on those in disadvantaged family situations. This programme of early intervention provides additional support to midwives to assess risks and establish appropriate help for families facing hardships such as lack of support, poverty, mental illness, partnership conflict or asylum status.