The role of midwives in advancing planetary health: Insights from the GREEN MOTHER project in Spain

PROBLEM: Education is fundamental to reversing environmental degradation and advancing planetary health. Yet, many health professionals lack adequate knowledge of sustainability and planetary health principles. BACKGROUND: Women and children are among the most vulnerable to climate change impacts. Midwives can play a crucial role in promoting planetary health and sustainability by educating mothers and communities, particularly on maternal and infant nutrition. AIM: Through the "Best Practices in Breastfeeding and Sustainable, Healthy Nutrition" course, the GREEN MOTHER project trains healthcare professionals to foster behavioural change regarding sustainability among pregnant and breastfeeding women. METHODS: As part of the GREEN MOTHER multicentre study conducted across seven sexual and reproductive health units at primary care centres in Barcelona, a training programme was delivered to 156 healthcare professionals, predominantly midwives. Knowledge acquisition was evaluated through a final exam and a satisfaction survey. FINDINGS: 67 % of participants passed the exam. The course's practical applicability was rated as its most valuable feature by 71.6 % of attendees, while 55.8 % gave it the highest satisfaction score. DISCUSSION: This course was the first of its kind implemented in Spain. Overall feedback was positive. Scaling the training across the region is proposed. CONCLUSION: Policies should promote exclusive breastfeeding as the most sustainable form of infant nutrition while ensuring sustainable maternal nutrition. Training midwives in planetary health and breastfeeding is essential to effectively transfer knowledge to mothers and families, driving transformative change towards more sustainable maternal and infant diets. CLINICAL TRIALS: NCT05729581 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05729581).