Community-Based Midwife Care Reduces Risk for Preterm Birth

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 28, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Continuous, community-based care from midwives reduces the risk for preterm birth among women at social risk, according to a study published online Jan. 20 in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology.

Cristina Fernandez Turienzo, Ph.D., from King”s College London, and colleagues evaluated the impact of community-based midwife continuity of care (CBMCOC) models for women and babies in ethnically diverse and socially disadvantaged areas. The analysis included 12,386 women exposed to standard care and 1,338 to CBMCOC overall, and 5,352 women exposed to standard care and 1,338 to CBMCOC in a propensity-matched analysis.

The researchers found that the risk for preterm birth was lower among women exposed to CBMCOC (unmatched: 4.6 versus 10.3 percent; relative risk [RR], 0.50; matched: 4.6 versus 8.4 percent; RR, 0.54). There was also a reduction in preterm birth rates among ethnic minority women and those in deprived areas who were exposed to CBMCOC.

“Our study demonstrates the potential of locality-based interventions integrating community-based care and midwife continuity,” Turienzo said in a statement. “This approach significantly reduces risk of preterm birth compared to standard care and may help reduce health inequities for high social risk groups.”

Abstract/Full Text