Lay summary
Improving maternal health and wellbeing of wāhine Māori and whānau is a priority. We have significant gaps in our maternal and child health outcomes and an urgent need to do better for Māori. Locally, we have strong Māori leadership and kaupapa Māori models that could be used to enhance support for wāhine Māori before, during and after pregnancy. To provide the best approach, which enhances the care provided by lead maternity carers, we will (1) review current literature on maternity care from a Te Ao Māori perspective (2) work with wāhine Māori to determine facilitators and barriers to current maternity care (3) Establish a Poutiaki group to provide collective advice and leadership for a new model of care, and (4) determine a study design and methodology for a future study that compares a kaupapa Māori approach with standard care.