Top 10 priorities for midwifery practice and maternity care research in the UK: findings from the James Lind Alliance priority setting partnership.

OBJECTIVES: To establish a James Lind Alliance (JLA) Priority Setting Partnership to identify research priorities for midwifery practice and maternity care. DESIGN: Using standard JLA methodology, participants were invited to complete an online survey asking for evidence gaps and information about areas of importance to them. Out of scope data were removed and the data analysed to develop uncertainties or priority areas. Following an evidence check to establish if any of the uncertainties had already been answered, a second online survey was developed, in which the priority areas were ranked in importance by respondents. An in-person workshop was held to decide the final top 10 based on the ranked priorities from the second survey. SETTING: The UK maternity services. PARTICIPANTS: Midwives, midwifery students, maternity support workers, women, birthing people and their families and supporters. RESULTS: 977 respondents provided 3272 lines of data. Analysis resulted in the creation of 68 priority topics. Following a review of the evidence, one uncertainty was found to have already been answered. The remaining 67 uncertainties were then ranked by 548 respondents using an online survey. The final top 10 priorities were agreed by consensus at an in-person workshop and include a range of topics across clinical care, as well as those affecting staff well-being and midwifery education. CONCLUSIONS: Researchers who undertake midwifery and maternity research should consider these priorities when deciding on the focus of studies and applying for funding. Funders should also consider these priority areas when deciding which studies to support.