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All-Ireland Maternity and Midwifery Festival 2025
The All-Ireland Maternity and Midwifery Festival 2025 took place in Dublin and online on 08 April. It featured inspirational speakers on policy, management and organisation, professional education and new research.
Professor Mary Renfrew spoke on the ‘Enabling Safe Quality Midwifery Services and Care in Northern Ireland’ report which she authored. Ms Angela Dunne and Ms Mary Brosnan spoke on the current state of the maternity services in Ireland.
In her talk, Dr Margaret Murphy spoke about ‘Stillbirth: the hidden global mortality burden’ and the importance of prioritising stillbirth and bereavement care internationally. The national picture was also presented including the work of the Pregnancy Loss Research Group in developing stillbirth, miscarriage and recurrent miscarriage supports, and contributing to the national clinical practice guidelines.
Caroline O’Connor presented her qualitative research on parents' experiences of antenatal care for Dichorionic Diamniotic (DCDA) twin pregnancies in Irish Maternity Services. This forms part of her Research Ireland-funded doctoral work on the MILESTONE study which is investigating risk factors and outcomes for multiple pregnancies in the Republic of Ireland.
Dr Margaret Murphy, Lecturer in Midwifery and BSc in Midwifery Programme Director, University College Cork
Caroline O'Connor, PhD Student and Clinical Midwife Specialist in Bereavement and Loss, Cork University Maternity Hospital
The conference was attended by over 360 maternity leaders, practising and student midwives, academics, health visitors, neonatal nurses and other allied healthcare professionals.