Strategies to improve maternal health for indigenous women and children

Health professionals caring for Indigenous women and children can help close the gap by taking the following measures: learn how to provide culturally responsive care; place women and their families at the centre of their care by listening and responding respectfully; being alert to insidious racism; avoid judgemental behaviour which leads to women feeling embarrassment and shame; re-open maternity services in rural and remote communities rather than force Indigenous women to travel to a strange city away from their family; support Indigenous women's desire to birth on country and the importance of the deep spiritual connection with land, kin and tradition related to birthing on country; commit to supporting training for Indigenous midwives.