Researching the public health role of the midwife

There is an impressive potential for midwives (working in a variety of settings) to improve health, especially for the most disadvantaged individuals, families and communities. Skills within midwifery could advance public health in relation to: conception, pregnancy, birth, infancy, parenting and supporting families. However, there is little ‘evidence base’ for developing and deploying these midwifery skills safely, responsibly and effectively. New opportunities are arising for research to underpin the public health role of the midwife. This could also be the time for midwives to take on a leadership role in the research agenda, to advance their knowledge of how to benefit health across populations.