The miracle of birth has been recorded in all its raw glory in a series of breathtakingly intimate images from around the world.
Included among the winning entries was a glimpse of one mother burning through her umbilical cord using a candle in a practice that has been around for hundreds of years, which is believed to protect against infection.
The 33-year-old from Melbourne, Australia, has been a passionate birth photographer for 10 years and was one of fourteen experienced judges to pick the winners of the competition.
But with 216 entries snapped by birth photographers from around the world – including Brazil, Portugal, France, Germany, Australia and New Zealand – Lacey felt it was important to showcase the top images of the competition.