Factors Contributing to Health and Wellbeing in Maternity Care
With Sophie and Theo, Sociology & Mental Health Specialist
Key Takeaways
- The World Health Organization defines health as complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing — not just the absence of disease.
- For midwives, that whole-person view matters enormously.
- We tend to group them into biological factors — genetics, age, physiology — and social determinants, which include income, housing, education, and employment.
- Both interact in complex ways during pregnancy.
- Because where you live, your financial security, and your access to care all directly affect outcomes.
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Full Transcript
Sophie: Welcome to Factors Contributing to Health and Wellbeing in Maternity Care. I'm Sophie, and with me is Theo, our Sociology and Mental Health Specialist. Theo, health and wellbeing sounds straightforward — but it's actually complex, isn't it?
Theo: Very much so, Sophie. The World Health Organization defines health as complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing — not just the absence of disease. For midwives, that whole-person view matters enormously.
Sophie: What are the main categories of factors that influence a person's health, particularly during pregnancy?
Theo: We tend to group them into biological factors — genetics, age, physiology — and social determinants, which include income, housing, education, and employment. Both interact in complex ways during pregnancy.
Sophie: Social determinants are a big focus in midwifery right now. Can you explain why they matter so much for maternity outcomes?
What should learners understand about factors contributing to health and wellbeing in maternity care?
Theo: Because where you live, your financial security, and your access to care all directly affect outcomes. Women in deprived areas have higher rates of preterm birth, maternal mortality, and poor mental health. These aren't random — they're structural.
Sophie: The MBRRACE report consistently highlights health inequalities in maternal deaths. What should midwives take from that?
Theo: That risk isn't equally distributed. Black women in the UK are four times more likely to die in childbirth than white women. Midwives need to understand and actively address these disparities — not assume everyone faces the same risks.
Sophie: Let's talk about mental health specifically. How does it factor into maternity wellbeing?
Theo: Mental health is one of the leading causes of maternal death in the UK. Perinatal mental health — anxiety, depression, and rarer conditions like postpartum psychosis — affects up to one in five women. Midwives are often the first to identify it.
How does factors contributing to health and wellbeing in maternity care work in a healthcare context?
Sophie: What about environmental factors — where someone lives, air quality, access to green space?
Theo: They matter more than people realise. Poor housing contributes to stress, respiratory problems, and infection risk. Food insecurity affects nutrition in pregnancy. These aren't background noise — they're active health determinants.
Sophie: How does understanding all of this change how a midwife works with an individual woman?
Theo: It shifts the lens from 'what's wrong with this person' to 'what's happening in this person's life'. A missed appointment isn't necessarily non-compliance — it might be shift work, childcare, or transport. Understanding context changes the response.
Sophie: And practically, what can a midwife do when they identify social determinants affecting a woman's health?
Why is factors contributing to health and wellbeing in maternity care important in midwifery practice?
Theo: Signposting and advocacy. Connecting women to housing support, food banks, mental health services, or social care. Midwives don't solve poverty, but they can be the bridge to services that help.
Sophie: Theo, what's the most important mindset for a midwife approaching health and wellbeing holistically?
Theo: Curiosity and non-judgement. Ask questions, listen fully, and resist making assumptions based on what you think a person's life is like. Every woman's circumstances are unique, and understanding those circumstances is part of providing safe care.