Respectful maternity care and the association with child health outcomes (REACH) study

Despite work being conducted in a few remote communities, there is a notable gap in the literature regarding the barriers and enablers to care-seeking during pregnancy for Australian First Nations women in the Top End of the Northern Territory. Additionally, there is limited research on the relationship between respectful maternity care and child health outcomes among Australian First Nations women and women from migrant or refugee backgrounds giving birth in the Top End of the Northern Territory. To address these gaps, my PhD research primarily aims to identify and understand the barriers and enablers to seeking care during pregnancy and childbirth, and how these factors influence future care-seeking behaviors for their children. The central hypothesis of my thesis posits that, among women giving birth in Darwin, respectful maternity care is associated with improved future care-seeking behaviors, leading to better clinical outcomes for their children.