The Cochrane Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Thematic Group is dedicated to improving outcomes and advancing equity in maternal, newborn, and child health.
About us
Every two minutes, a person dies during pregnancy or childbirth, amounting to approximately 300,000 deaths per year worldwide. Additionally, 11 children under age 15 die every minute worldwide, with almost half of the five million children who die before their fifth birthday dying within their first month of life. These deaths are largely preventable, highlighting tremendous inequities.
The Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Thematic Group serves as a central hub for innovation, research, evidence-based clinical practice and health policy, community, and global impact. We are a multi-professional group committed to addressing urgent global health issues through focused and coordinated efforts. By targeting impactful interventions, collaborative work and innovation, we aim to generate actionable insights and evidence to inform healthcare practices and policies that save lives.
Our team
The Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Thematic Group brings together thematic and technical expertise through a collaborative, hub-based structure designed to support high-quality, trustworthy evidence. Our thematic (Maternal, Newborn, and Child) and technical (Steering & Coordination, Methods & Training, Author Support, Community Engagement, and Patients, Families, Caregivers, & Public) hubs are led by multiple co-leads who provide leadership and priority-setting within their domains. Co-leads work collectively through shared steering and coordination, supported by mentors, programme managers, associate leads, working groups, and advisory boards. If you would like to get involved in one of our hubs, please reach out!
The co-leads for each hub are as follows (alphabetical order):
Thematic hubs
Maternal
Emily Shepherd (Australia)
Pisake Lumbiganon (Thailand)
Zohra Lassi (Australia, Pakistan)
Associate lead(s):
Jen Sothornwit (Thailand)
Newborn
Greta Sibrecht (Poland)
Matteo Bruschettini (Sweden, Italy)
Nai Ming Lai (Malaysia)
Child
Giordano Perez-Gaxiola (Mexico)
Jai Das (Pakistan)
Moriam Chibuzor (Nigeria)
Thu Giang Le Thi (Germany, Vietnam)
Associate lead(s):
May Loong Tan (Malaysia)
Technical hubs
Steering & coordination
Aamer Imdad (US, Pakistan)
David Haas (US)
Emma Sinervo (Sweden, Canada)
Jeanne-Marie Guise (US)
Programmatic support:
April Mcmillan (US)
Lauren Thomann (US)
Methods & training
Anna-Lene Seidler (Germany)
Shayesteh Jahanfar (US)
Associate lead(s):
James Sotiropoulos (Australia)
Author support
Jane Cracknell (UK)
Michelle Fiander (Canada)
Community engagement
Tiffany Duque (US)
Patients, families, caregivers & public
Danielle Pollock (Australia)
Ndi Euphrasia Atuh (Cameroon)
Our plans
The Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Thematic Group represents a global team of clinical experts, researchers, and others who are interested in multi-interest-holder engagement in evidence synthesis and the resulting impact. Our institutions and leaders have strong and long-lasting relationships with policy-makers and funders who have the promise to contribute to and benefit long-term sustainability and dissemination of the group’s work.
These relationships include the World Health Organization, the Gates Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Health Resources and Services Administration and Office of Research on Women’s Health, amongst others. We will work with the Cochrane central team to develop cases of support specific to the interests of international stakeholders and funders to further develop our collaborative efforts and ensure financial sustainability.
The Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Thematic Group acknowledges and supports Cochrane’s strategic decision to engage with low- and middle-income countries to ensure that sustainable research networks are developed in these areas, enabling our evidence to reach and empower those who need it most.
One of the key strengths of our leadership team are the long-standing, strong collaborations within the institutions and organizations that we represent.
We will support author teams in multiple ways:
- Training: We have a long and successful track record of supporting Cochrane author training for large, international groups of new authors and trainees. We will continue this and have a global reach through the virtual courses and through the Cochrane International Mobility programme.
- Content and methodological consultations: Through our diverse expertise, we can provide author groups with consultative assistance during all phases of a review, including advising on key dissemination strategies and contacts.
- Author team members: Given our breadth of colleagues and trainees, we can provide new or understaffed author teams with additional members to aid the efficiency and turnaround time for reviews.
- Peer reviewers: Given our vast global network within Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, including members with editorial experience and those with patient/public experience, we can support Cochrane's Central Editorial Service in identifying peer reviewers for reviews, which will aid in the timeliness of the peer review process.
We plan to accomplish these through regular communication with our strategic advisory board. Our lean administrative team will have key contacts in different focus areas to facilitate this communication efficiently through the strategic advisory board members.
News
We are launching our new Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Grand Rounds, a recurring series designed to bring our global community together around priority topics chosen by our community.
Our inaugural Grand Rounds, held in honour of International Women and Girls in Science Day, will spotlight women’s leadership and the power of curiosity and global collaboration in shaping the future of research. Join in on 11 February at 13:30 GMT. Please register here if you would like to take part.
Contact us
For more information about our work or to become involved with the Cochrane Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Thematic Group, please email us.
We are keen to build a diverse coalition of leaders and experts. If you are interested in contributing to our work, please tell us more about your skills and interests.
