To Be Born Upon a Pandanus Mat

The study builds on the Caring for Mum on Country project and aims to establish and evaluate Australia’s ‘Birthing on Country’ very remote, demonstration site in Galiwin’ku, Elcho Island, Arnhem Land. We will redesign the health service to increase continuity and quality of maternity care as Yolŋu women move through services in Galiwin’ku, Nhulunbuy and Darwin. We will facilitate early medical and allied health referral for women with complex needs and chronic conditions and enable Yolŋu to use Indigenous knowledges across the first 1,000 days by providing djäkamirr (Indigenous doula) support to women during pregnancy, childbirth and until baby turns 2-years old. Improving midwifery care and support through clinical and cultural supervision and greater integration of care and services across the jurisdiction is a key strategy. We will increase Yolŋu engagement, governance, and control as we develop community reproductive health data reports to facilitate reproductive health literacy. The clinical efficacy, acceptability, cost-effectiveness, and cost-benefit of the very remote ‘Birthing on Country’ will be systematically evaluated.