We are delighted to share the second edition of the European Midwifery Unit Standards, designed to provide the quality assurance necessary to scale up midwife-led units across Europe. 

The standards aim to improve the quality of maternity care, reduce unwarranted practice variation, and promote a holistic, biopsychosocial model of care. They serve as a practical self-assessment tool for providers to evaluate their current provision and map out service improvements.

Who are they for?

• Clinicians & Teams: Anyone setting up, managing, or working within a midwifery unit.
• Commissioners & Leaders: Those responsible for allocating resources and structuring health services at national, regional, and local levels.
• Support Networks: Multidisciplinary partners providing essential support, including ambulance services, obstetric unit clinicians, and service managers.

This second edition represents a powerful collaboration between the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), 41 international experts in the field, our research team at City St George’s, University of London, and the Midwifery Unit Network team.

The translations that you see below will be updated soon to reflect the changes in the 2^nd edition. 

The Standards work alongside the Midwifery Unit Self-Assessment (MUSA) Tool and Framework. For more information and resources, please visit the MUSA website.

Contact Us:

• European MU Standards inquiries: Dr Lucia Rocca-Ihenacho — Lucia.Rocca-Ihenacho@citystgeorges.ac.uk

• MUSA Framework & support quotes: Dr Marie Lewis — marie@munetwork.org