PURPOSE:
Improving midwifery practices around birthing is essential in the provision of quality maternal healthcare. Evidence-based practice shows that the birth positions a woman adopts during labour can significantly influence both maternal and neonatal outcomes. Alternate birth positions are vital in low-resource settings as they improve outcomes, reduce intervention needs, respect cultural practices, and require minimal equipment. A quality improvement initiative promoting alternate birthing positions, developed in response to women’s needs and preferences, will be shared from a Ghanaian perspective.

DISCUSSION:
In many Ghanaian facilities, women still give birth in the lithotomy position due to limited space, lack of privacy, staffing shortages, and no supportive policy or training. Yet many women prefer home births for the freedom to choose their position. In response to the low number of hospital births in my facility, I led a project introducing a birthing chair that supported squatting and side-lying positions. I will share our experiences and women’s reflections on how this improved their birth experience.

EVIDENCE WHERE RELEVANT:
Maternal positioning significantly impacts labour outcomes, including perineal trauma, caesarean rates, and fetal heart patterns (Diorgu et al, 2016; Berta et al, 2019). Despite WHO’s support for alternative birth positions and respectful maternity care, barriers like limited training and policy gaps persist (Musie et al, 2019). Midwives need support to advocate for evidence-based, woman-centred birthing choices.

KEY MESSAGE:
We must not only increase numbers but also empower midwives with the skills, support, and policy backing to provide evidence-based, respectful care, including offering alternate birth positions that honour women's preferences and improve outcomes. Poster session 2 (Group A)