Advancing Safe & Respectful Midwifery Care Worldwide
GoodBirth is a global network of midwifery centers, midwifery center specialists, healthcare professionals, educators, and advocates working together to strengthen maternal healthcare systems with midwifery centers through education, accreditation, and data collection.
Who We Are
A Global Community Strengthening Midwifery Care
Goodbirth Network was founded in 2015 through partnerships with midwifery centers in Haiti. Early collaboration revealed a fragmented system in which facilities were working in isolation, often duplicating efforts without opportunities for shared learning or coordinated problem-solving. By connecting centers, we saw immediate value in peer support, collective learning, and shared solutions to common challenges. What began as a small effort to build connection evolved into an online global community and open-access resource platform for midwifery centers in low-resource settings. As interest grew beyond Haiti, annual convenings and exchanges expanded into a broader international network.
Network Partners
American Association of Birth Centers (AABC)
Midwifery Unit Network (MuNet)
International Confederation of Midwifery Centers (ICMC)
Global Map
Connecting midwifery centers across continents through shared learning and visibility.
Mission
Strengthening and standardizing midwifery centers through accreditation, quality improvement, and capacity building.
Vision
A world where high-quality midwifery centers are integrated into healthcare systems and accessible to all communities.
What is a Midwifery Center?
As the network developed, the need for shared definitions became clear. Through a collaborative process with midwifery centers across more than 10 countries, Goodbirth Network facilitated consensus on a definition of “midwifery center,” creating a foundation for shared identity and standards across diverse settings.
What We Do
Advocacy
GoodBirth advocates for the expansion and recognition of midwifery centers as midwifery-led models of care through education, accreditation, technical support, data collection, collaboration, and global awareness initiatives.
We support healthcare leaders, midwifery centers, and communities in advancing respectful maternity care and strengthening maternal healthcare systems.
GoodBirth strengthens maternal healthcare systems through operational standards, accreditation pathways, quality improvement initiatives, emergency preparedness, and benchmarking systems designed specifically for midwifery centers
Visit our media page for- Newsletters, Books & Publications, Stories & Videos, & Free Resources.
.
Standards
43 internationally informed operational standards focused on dignity, quality, and community integration.
Accreditation
A participatory accreditation process recognizing commitment to safe, respectful, evidence-based maternity care.
Drills & Preparedness
Emergency readiness tools and simulation exercises supporting safer maternal and newborn care.
Data & Benchmarking
Supporting centers in using data for quality improvement and global benchmarking initiatives.
The Midwifery Model of Care
The midwifery model of care is recommended by the World Health Organization to reduce preventable maternal and neonatal deaths while improving patient experiences and outcomes.
This model centers on supporting normal physiological birth through respectful, individualized, and relationship-based care.
The midwifery model and medical model are complementary approaches within strong healthcare systems. Midwifery-led care supports healthy pregnancies and births, while medical systems provide essential management for complications.
Together, they create an integrated system that ensures women receive the right care, in the right setting, at the right time.
Global Network
Midwifery Centers Around the World
GoodBirth supports and collaborates with birth centers across multiple continents, strengthening maternal healthcare systems through shared learning, accreditation, and community partnership.
The interactive map highlights:
Accredited Centers
Partner Organizations
Centers in Progress
Educational Collaborators
Community-Based Care That Improves Outcomes
Midwifery centers provide holistic care before, during, and after childbirth while maintaining access to advanced medical care when necessary through clear referral pathways. This model emphasizes relationship-centered care, evidence-based practices, and community accessibility.
Research consistently demonstrates positive outcomes associated with midwifery-led care, including improved maternal satisfaction, lower intervention rates, and posit healthcare experiences for families.
Respectful Maternity
Care
Lower Intervention
Rates
Personalized
Support
Community
Accessibility
Evidence-Based
Practices
Family Centered
Care
Accreditation
Supporting Excellence in Midwifery Care
GoodBirth accreditation recognizes birth centers committed to safe, respectful, and evidence-based maternal healthcare practices. Our accreditation pathway supports ongoing quality improvement while honoring the cultural and operational uniqueness of each community.
1. Assessment
Review of operational systems and readiness.
2. Standards Review
Evaluation using internationally informed quality standards.
3. Mentorship
Guidance and support throughout the process.
4. Accreditation
Recognition of commitment to quality care.
Become part of a growing international network of midwifery centers, educators, healthcare providers, and advocates.
Join & Support GoodBirth
Your support strengthens maternal healthcare systems, accreditation initiatives, education, and midwifery-led care globally.
Collaborate with GoodBirth through education, implementation, advocacy, research, or healthcare initiatives.
Ensuring educational resources and maternal healthcare tools remain accessible to diverse global communities.