Our research is conducted in close collaboration with the Midwifery Science research group at Amsterdam UMC and is strongly embedded within the Midwifery Academy Groningen, a partnership between UMCG, Amsterdam UMC and Inholland University of Applied Sciences. Together, we connect research, education and clinical practice to advance midwifery science and improve maternity care.
We study how maternity care can better meet the needs of women and families, particularly those in vulnerable situations. We also investigate women's health during pregnancy and beyond, recognising that experiences and events during the reproductive years can influence health throughout the life course.
In addition, we examine the working lives of maternity care professionals and the factors that influence occupational wellbeing and workforce sustainability. Through research, education and collaboration with practice, we help improve maternity care for current and future generations
Our research group has two research lines:
Our mail fields of interest:
We are dedicated to translating our research into real-world impact across healthcare practice, education, and policy. Through active stakeholder engagement and strong collaborative partnerships, we ensure our scientific findings directly improve care for women, children, and families.
Our research generates evidence on access to care, maternal health, postpartum recovery, long-term health outcomes and workforce sustainability. We work closely with women, client representative organisations, healthcare professionals, educators and policymakers to ensure that research findings improve care, education and policy.
We combine clinical research, implementation research and healthcare data to better understand the health and care needs of women and families. By studying health across the life course, we identify opportunities to improve care during pregnancy, childbirth, the postpartum period and beyond.
Together with healthcare organisations and research partners, we contribute to learning healthcare systems in which research, practice and routinely collected healthcare data continuously inform one another. This approach helps translate new knowledge into practical improvements in maternity care and women's health.
Research and education are closely connected within our group. We teach within the Midwifery Academy Groningen, a collaborative programme of UMCG, Amsterdam UMC and Inholland University of Applied Sciences, and actively incorporate research findings into teaching. Moreover, we contribute to the educational curriculum of the Dutch Master programme in Midwifery, a joint initiative of all Dutch Midwifery Academies. We also teach in the Medicine programme and the MSc Interdisciplinary Research in Health Dynamics at the UMCG.
Students participate in research projects throughout their education. In this way, they develop research skills and learn how scientific evidence can improve care for women, children and families. Our research also informs curriculum development and contributes to the education of future midwives, researchers and healthcare professionals.
We work closely with women, families, healthcare professionals, educators and policymakers throughout the research process. Stakeholders help shape research questions, study design and implementation strategies. Their involvement ensures that our research addresses real-world challenges and produces findings that are relevant to practice, education and policy.
We also invest in knowledge valorisation to ensure that our research findings make a meaningful difference to women and healthcare professionals. We translate results into accessible and practical resources, including clear infographics, benchmarks, flyers, posters, and online video’s about women experiences.
We collaborate closely with the Midwifery Science research group at Amsterdam UMC and work together on research, education and the further development of midwifery science in the Netherlands. This longstanding partnership contributes to a strong national infrastructure for midwifery research and education.
We also collaborate with researchers, educators and healthcare professionals across the Netherlands and internationally. These partnerships help us address shared challenges in maternal health, maternity care, workforce sustainability and healthcare innovation.
By learning from different healthcare systems and research traditions, we strengthen our research and improve its impact on maternity care and women's health.
University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG)
Department of Primary and Long-term Care
Midwifery Science Northern-Netherlands
Internal postcode FA21
P.O. Box 196
9700 AD Groningen
UMCG
Department of Primary and Long-term Care
Oostersingel | entrance 47 | building 50 | 2nd floor
Groningen
The Netherlands
