Helena Lindgren

Sweden is one of only five countries in the world where it is among the safest to be pregnant, give birth, and raise children. My work has been driven by the question of how we can accommodate diverse preferences and needs in the design of maternity care while maintaining the highest standards of safety. Through the MIMA model (Midwives’ Management during the Second Stage of Labor), my colleagues and I have demonstrated how the incidence of birth injuries can be reduced in Sweden.

I am professor in reproductive health and a research-active midwife with extensive clinical experience in both Swedish and international settings. My research focuses on advancing evidence-based, woman-centred, and safe maternity care across diverse birth settings, including home births, midwifery-led units, and hospital environments. I serve as the lead of the MIDWIZE programme, which aims to strengthen the capacity of midwives by promoting the implementation of evidence-based practices, particularly in low- and middle-income countries in East Africa such as Uganda, Ethiopia, and Kenya. In collaboration with universities in Ethiopia, I have contributed to the establishment of a doctoral education programme for midwives, supporting the academic development of the profession.

Pågående projekt

MIDWIZE (Midwife-led interdisciplinary care and zero separation) Evaluation and scale up of the MIDWIZE programme in Uganda and Ethiopia.

MiMoC (Midwifery Model of Care) a project aiming to assess the implementation of midwife led continuity care in Debre Berhan, Ethiopia. The project was launched in February 2025 in the presence of Ministry of Health, Swedish Embassy and university leads.