Emily Leeflem
RM RN GradCertWomHMed PGradDipMidwifery BNurs
PhD Candidate, 2nd Year (M1 Complete) School of Nursing, Curtin University
PhD Project
Measuring what Matters After Birth (The MMAB Project): Shaping the future of patient-reported outcomes for postpartum care in Australia
Supervisory Committee
Professor Zoe Bradfield, Dr Lauren Spark, Professor Meghan Bohren
In Australia, postpartum health is assessed using short-term objective clinical indicators, with no routine data capturing women’s self-reported experiences beyond the first six weeks after birth. The Measuring what Matters After Birth (MMAB) project explores how women and gender diverse people experience postpartum health and wellbeing, which outcomes matter most, and how these can be measured in meaningful ways. Using participatory research methods, the MMAB Project integrates the perspectives of women, health professionals, and policy experts to develop national recommendations for patient-reported outcome measures to inform postpartum care, policy and population-level health monitoring in Australia.
Awards & Funding
2026 Stan Perron Charitable Foundation Scholarship
John Curtin Graduate Research Scholarship, Curtin University
Experience and Research Focus
Emily is a midwife and PhD candidate passionate about the use of meaningful data to strengthen health systems and advocate for equitable midwifery care across the life course. She is fascinated by the role of politics and public policy in shaping the health of individuals, families, and communities. Before midwifery, Emily worked as a mental health registered nurse, establishing a deep commitment to social and reproductive justice. Her work is driven by a passion for ensuring that health care, policy and systems reflect the values and experiences of our community.
Emily continues to work clinically as a midwife while undertaking her PhD.
