New Zealand College of Midwives

16/06/2026

Media Release 16 June 2026
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) and the New Zealand College of Midwives (NZCOM) welcome the opposition’s pledge to fully fund maternity ultrasound scans in Aotearoa New Zealand, should they be elected in November.
https://www.midwife.org.nz/news/full-funding-of-maternity-ultrasound-scan-would-end-decades-of-access-barriers-for-new-zealand-families/

14/06/2026

Check out these great ICM photos from the Midwives March through the streets of Lisbon and spot some familiar faces.

12/06/2026

We are excited to announce that Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland has been shortlisted as one of two possible destinations for the ICM 2032 Congress by the ICM Council. Ngā mihi nui to College Co-Presidents Beatrice Leatham and Debbie Fisher for presenting the College’s bid to the ICM Council and to Auckland midwife Eartha Healy for starring in our promotional video!

11/06/2026

We are immensely proud to announce that Alison Eddy has been elected as the incoming President of the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), at the ICM Council meeting in Lisbon, Portugal. The ICM president position is a voluntary governance one, and Alison will continue in her role as College CE while she serves as the ICM President.
International Confederation of Midwives

A new chapter begins for ICM! We are delighted to welcome Alison Eddy as the new President of the International Confederation of Midwives. A midwife, leader, and passionate advocate for women’s health and rights, Alison brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to strengthening midwifery around the world.

As we look to the future, we look forward to working together to advance the profession, support midwives, and ensure more women and newborns have access to quality midwifery care.

Read more and join us in welcoming Alison to her new role: https://zurl.co/BlTmu

08/06/2026

Did you know that June is Cytomegalovirus (CMV) awareness month!
Help protect unborn babies by following how to reduce risk as per the hygiene information. This is especially important for those at a higher risk such as parents with children at day care or kindy or those who work with babies and or children such as nurses, midwives and childcare workers.

CMV can cause devastating consequences for unborn babies from cerebral palsy, hearing loss and learning disabilities especially if the infection is contracted for the first time in early pregnancy

If you are one of the high risk groups or have flu like symptoms talk to your midwife as you may require a test for CMV

For more information go to https://cerebralpalsy.org.au/our-research/research-projects-priorities/cmv/

05/06/2026

Safe Sleep Day – 5 June 2026

“Ko Ranginui ki runga, ko Papatūānuku ki raro.”
Today is about connecting whānau with trusted information and support to help keep pēpi safe.

Explore resources, guidance, and support here:
https://sudinationalcoordination.co.nz

05/06/2026

Free Workshop for all College Midwife Members
Join MMPO’s Thrive in LMC Practice workshop and gain practical skills in finances, cashflow, group practice, digital safety, and planning time off.

Link below to register now.

01/06/2026

Congratulations to Dr Lesley Ansell - on her Kings Birthday Honour:
Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit For services to midwifery. https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/honours/lists/kb2026-mnzm

Dr Lesley Ansell has had a career in midwifery, initially in the United Kingdom and since 1992 in South and Central Auckland.'

While working in Middlemore Hospital, Dr Ansell observed a high rate of the childbirth emergency known as ‘shoulder dystocia’, involving the entrapment of the baby’s shoulders during birth which can lead to injury or death of the baby. She questioned the complicated, established manoeuvres in practice at the time and advocated an easier solution. The evaluative work and quantitative research that followed led to the technique ‘axillary traction becoming the basis of her master’s degree, demonstrating successful resolution of the problem. The Auckland midwifery and obstetric community quickly adopted this technique, which was easier to remember and more successful in resolving the problem. She continued to evaluate the success of the manoeuvre using quantitative research methods, with the results being published in the Australia and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in 2019 and subsequently in her doctoral thesis. Her work has been included in the development of New Zealand hospital guidelines, the Pacific Emergency Maternal and Neonatal Training Manual and the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology guideline. Dr Ansell’s expertise in the field is widely recognised and included in multi-professional training in hospitals and midwifery education throughout New Zealand.

29/05/2026

The College and our colleagues at RANZCOG have released the following joint statement regarding the recently announced $34.4 million commitment from the Government to fund the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) (3-Day Postnatal Stay) Amendment Bill.

The Bill gives mothers and babies the right to remain in a postnatal facility for a minimum of three days, after giving birth, unless they choose to leave earlier.

https://www.midwife.org.nz/news/34m-in-funding-for-3-day-postnatal-stay-must-be-used-flexibly/

29/05/2026

Yesterday, the Aotearoa New Zealand government handed down Budget 2026. Included was a $34.4 million commitment to fund the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) (3-Day Postnatal Stay) Amendment Bill which gives mothers and babies the right to remain in a postnatal facility for a minimum of three days, after giving birth, unless they choose to leave earlier.

RANZCOG and New Zealand College of Midwives (NZCOM) welcome this significant investment into maternity care and strongly support the principle that all women should have access to appropriate care following their birth. The extra provision for care will result in positive outcomes for some whānau and babies.

However, with $34.4 million available to support implementation, both Colleges assert the importance that funding be used flexibly, to accommodate a nuanced and individualised needs-based approach to supporting different women and whānau in the way that best meets their needs.

There are also myriad systemic issues which will undermine the effectiveness of the three-day-postnatal-stay bill, if not urgently addressed by the government. For example, workforce shortages and capacity of facilities.

Read more in the full joint statement on the RANZCOG website: https://ranzcog.edu.au/news/3-day-postnatal-stay-funding/