Global Midwifery Update 2025

It's time for the Midwives to dive deep into the topics they told us they wanted to hear about! We have over 300 midwives registered for the inaugural GMU. Make sure you aren't the fish out of water in May!

Park Hyatt Melbourne, 1 Parliament Square, Melbourne, VIC 3002

Event Date

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Summary

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We are thrilled to announce the inaugural Global Midwifery Update (#GMU2025)! 

After a decade of successful Global Obstetric Update conferences, we are embarking on an exciting new chapter dedicated to advancing, inspiring and improving the practice and knowledge of midwives in Australia and beyond. 

With all the usual fun and festivity of GOU, GMU will dive into all issues in midwifery, featuring inspiring speakers and engaging panel discussions. 

Join us 'Under the Sea' at GMU on Friday 30th and Saturday 31st of May 2025, at the Park Hyatt Melbourne, Australia.

Register

Speakers

We are pleased to announce the following line up of speakers:

Professor Caroline Homer AO

  • Leading midwifery researcher, Burnet Institute 
  • Co-Head Global Women's and Newborn Health Group, Burnet Institute

Amy Dawes OAM

  • CEO and co-founder, Australasian Birth Trauma Association 

Bernadette Lack

  • Founder and Creator, Core and Floor Restore 

Dr. Billie Bradford

  • Senior Research Fellow, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University 
  •  Director. Board of the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand

Associate Professor Elizabeth McCarthy

  • Star Clinic, Mercy Hospital for Women 
  • Melbourne University, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 

Associate Professor Alexis Shub

  • Obstetrician, Mercy Hospital for Women 
  • Honorary, Obstetrics and Gynaecology Royal Women's Hospital/Mercy

Eliza Strauss

  • Co-founder, The Perinatal Loss Centre
  • Specialist bereavement midwife

Jessica Kahan

  •  Founder and Director, Holistic Lactation Consulting

Luke Foster

  • Psychologist 
  • Veteran 

Jess Permezel

  • Midwife, Birth Educator and Researcher, Birth Space

Professor Linda Sweet

  • Chair in Midwifery, Western Health 
  • Deakin University, School of Nursing and Midwifery

Dr Emily Aldridge

  • Cardiovascular and obstetric medicine researcher
  • Clinical Researcher Cardiovascular and Obstetric Medicine, Lyell McEwin Hospital

Lisa Ridd

  • Partner, Minter Ellison 
  • Specialist in Medical Malpractice 

Jennifer Green 

  • Midwife, New Zealand 

Associate Professor Roxanne Hastie

  • Perinatal Epidemiologist, Mercy Perinatal
  • Research Scientist, The University of Melbourne

Dr Anthea Lindquist

  • Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Mercy Perinatal
  • Senior Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne

Dr Alison Fung

  • Clinical Director, Mercy Perinatal 
  • Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist 

Professor Sue Walker AO

  • Co-Director, Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist, Mercy Perinatal
  • Head of Department Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Professor, The University of Melbourne

Our Careers Panel includes: 

Mark Beaves

  • Head of Quality Assurance Programs, RANZCOG. 

Serena Pellizzeri 

  • Program Coordinator for MGP and the homebirth program, Barwon Health 

Stacey van Raay

  • FIFO Remote Midwife, JPS Medical Recruitment 

Monique Johnstone

  • Director of Clinical Operations in Maternity Services, Monash Health

Registration

  • Early Bird (ending December 31st 2024) 
    • In-person General: $675
    • In-person Student/Graduate: $500
  • General Pricing 
    • In-person General: $750
    • In-person Student/Graduate: $550
  • Conference Dinner at SEALife Aquarium
    • 3 course dinner Friday 30th May: $85


Book Now

Program

Day 1

08:00 - 08:40

Registration
08:40 - 08:50

Welcome
08:50 - 09:00

Setting the Scene: High Risk Corner
09:00 - 09:30

Pre-eclampsia

Sue Walker
09:30 - 10:00

Supporting and caring for pregnant women living in larger bodies

Linda Sweet
10:00 - 10:30

CTG’s, Dopplers and AFI: what do these tests of fetal wellbeing really mean?

Alison Fung
10:30 - 10:45

Questions/Panel Discussion
10:45 - 11:10

Morning Tea
11:10 - 11:20

Setting The Scene: Labour
11:20 - 11:50

Inducing pregnancies with low dose misoprostol

Jennifer Green
11:50 - 12:20

Progress on Progress: Revisiting what’s normal length of labour, and how long is too long?

A/Prof Roxanne Hastie
12:20 - 12:50

Navigating situations where women decline recommended care: a legal perspective

Lisa Ridd
12:50 - 13:00

Questions/Panel Discussion
13:00 - 14:00

Lunch
14:00 - 14:10

Setting the Scene: Complication of Pregnancy

14:10 - 14:40

Anaemia in pregnancy: How to treat, why do we even treat?

Dr Anthea Lindquist
14:40 - 15:10

Options to manage early pregnancy loss

Dr Elizabeth McCarthy
15:10 - 15:40

Diabetes in pregnancy

A/Prof Alexis Shub
15:40 - 15:50

Questions/Panel Discussion
15:50 - 16:15

Afternoon Tea
16:15 - 16:35

Setting the Scene: Special Guest

16:35 - 17:30

Special Guest: TBA

TBA
19:00

Conference Dinner

Ticketed Event at SEALife Aquarium 

Day 2

08:50 - 09:00

Setting the Scene- Postnatal issues
09:00 - 09:30

The fourth trimester: lifelong risks of poor health outcomes after a hypertensive pregnancy

Dr Emily Aldridge
09:30 - 10:00

Pelvic Floor Care: it’s so much more than Kegels!

Bernadette Lack
10:00 - 10:30

Managing mastitis

Jessica Kahan
10:30 - 10:40

Questions/Panel Discussion
10:40 - 11:05

Morning Tea
11:05 - 11:15

Setting the Scene: Communication and compassion
11:15 - 11:45

Perinatal Loss in Practice: Improving bereavement care

Eliza Strauss
11:45 - 12:15

Breaking barriers: The case for clinical trials in pregnant populations

Dr. Billie Bradford
12:15 - 12:45

Supporting & empowering our LGBTQIA+ community

Jess Permezel
12:45 - 12:55

Questions/Panel Discussion
12:55 - 13:55

Lunch
13:55 - 14:05

Setting the Scene
14:05 - 14:35

Birth Trauma

Amy Dawes
14:35 - 14:45

Questions
14:45 - 15:30

Managing stress, burnout and moral injury

Luke Foster
15:20 - 15:30

Questions
15:30 - 15:55

Afternoon Tea
15:55 - 16:05

Setting the Scene: Careers Panel
16:05 - 16:25

My journey as a Professor of Midwifery

Caroline Homer
16:05 - 17:15

Careers Panel: the many careers of midwives

Panelists: Mark Beaves (FSEP), Stacey McQueen (FIFO), Serena Pellazari (MGP), Monique Johnstone
17:30

Farewell Drinks

Sponsors

The Global Midwifery Update would like to thank our wonderful sponsors: GynZone, Perrigo, Pfizer, Pigeon, Normal Beischer Medical Research Foundation, Gidget Foundation, Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, ClientCare, Facts of Life Lactation Education, 4 Pillars and the Australian College of Midwives.

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If your organisation is interested in sponsoring this amazing conference and supporting the work of Midwives and Mercy Perinatal please reach out to Isabella Preston at mercyperinatal@mercy.com.au.

Terms and Conditions

T's & C's

In-person delegates: Places for GMU 2025 are limited, and it is very difficult to find replacements at short notice, given the need for most attendees to find cover. For these reasons, the registration fee is non-refundable within 30 days prior to the commencement of the event (after 30th April 2025). (You may wish to take out travel insurance so that you are covered if your plans change and you can no longer attend).