Global Health Consultant — madreluzLA midwifery

as A GLOBAL HEALTH CONSULTANT, I AM DRIVEN BY THE PRESSING NEED FOR CHANGES IN SEXUAL and REPRODUCTIVE health and JUSTICE.

I am dedicated to advocating for equitable access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare and empowering individuals to make informed choices about their reproductive well-being.

RESEARCH AND SCHOLARLY PROJECTS

Through my research, I shed light on the critical need for the integration, support, and promotion of professional midwifery in Mexico. Despite various strategies implemented by the Mexican government, such as transitioning to solely physician-attended institutionalized births, maternal mortality rates remain unacceptably high. To address this crisis, I created a powerful advocacy tool in the form of a whiteboard animation video, aiming to educate government officials, medical establishments, stakeholders, and the general public about the maternity care crisis in Mexico.

GLOBAL MIDWIFERY

Through my work with World Vision/Medical Teams International in Choma, Zambia, Africa, I volunteered to train over 40 rural midwives, nurses, and traditional birth attendants. I developed and taught a comprehensive curriculum focusing on universal precautions, sterilization, normal active labor, obstetrical emergencies, and Helping Babies Breathe. In Oaxaca, Mexico, I volunteered at CESSA (Centro de Salud con Servicios Ampliados), a maternity clinic, where I provided high-quality maternal services and conducted childbirth education classes as part of the "Vertical Humanized Birth" project.

“Where you see wrong or inequality or injustice, speak out, because this is your country, this is your democracy. Make it. Protect it. Pass it on”

Thurgood Marshall

PRESENTATIONS

I have had the privilege of presenting at various prestigious events, including the 31st ICM Triennial Congress in Toronto, Canada, where I delivered an oral presentation on maternal and newborn health. I also presented at the ICM Regional Conference of the Americas in Suriname, the Asociación Mexicana de Partería annual conference in Tulum, Mexico, and a health fair in Oaxaca, Mexico. These platforms have allowed me to share my expertise and advocate for improving maternal and newborn health outcomes.

My commitment to research, education, and advocacy drives my work as a global health consultant, as I strive to make a positive impact on maternal and newborn health outcomes worldwide.

Additionally, I have had the honor of addressing students at Chapman University and Charles Drew University. At Chapman University, I spoke about the state of midwifery in the US, emphasizing the importance of zero tolerance for maternal mortality and morbidity. I shared personal experiences from my midwifery practice in Mexico and the US, including challenging births, transfers, immediate newborn care at home, and postpartum depression. At Charles Drew University, I engaged with the Masters of Biomedicine class, discussing global maternal mortality, preventable causes, cultural context, examples from different countries, obstetric violence, and the vital role of midwives in finding solutions.