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Feminism, midwifery and the medicalisation of birth

Historically, childbirth was the domain of women only, for it was regarded as a female mystery, of which women alone had special knowledge and understanding. From the 1700s, with the rise of science...

An exploration of the perceptions of student midwives about midwifery education related to abortion

Midwives must provide individualised, culturally sensitive care to women seeking abortion in relation to decision making, eligibility for abortion, process, risks and ethical issues (International...

The #FutureMidwife: promoting excellence as a colleague, scholar and leader

Midwives have always engaged in continuous professional development (CPD), as the ability to acquire knowledge and skills after completing a pre-registration midwifery course is key to professional...

Challenges currently faced in midwifery careers

For generations, the practice of midwifery has shown the world a way of personalised pregnancy and childbirth that is dedicated to the mother and her child. Midwives are dedicated to their practice,...

Is midwifery struggling to recruit young people?

The figures released in 2019 from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC, 2019) suggest that numbers continue to grow against an ageing workforce and that NMC registrants are at an all time high....

The NMC Code and its application to the role of the midwife in antenatal care: a student perspective

Midwives are autonomous practitioners who are experts in normal pregnancy and birth (Horton and Astudillo, 2014; NMC, 2015a). Antenatally, midwives care for women in pregnancy from conception to...

Why Erasmus matters

Students consider embarking on the Erasmus+ programme for a variety of reasons. While some students view it as an opportunity for an extended holiday, others embrace it is an experience to be immersed...

Professional autonomy for midwives in the contemporary UK maternity system: part 1

Midwifery in the UK is underpinned by the Nursing and Midwifery Council's (NMC, 2018) ‘The code: professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses, midwives and nursing associates’. ‘The...

COVID-19 and caesareans

In their recent systematic review of SARS-CoV-2 in pregnancy, Akhtar et al (2020) considered 22 studies, which identified 156 pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 and 108 neonatal outcomes. The most common...

A safe space for parents

The UK charity Antenatal Results and Choices (ARC) started out under a different name. Support after Termination for Fetal Abnormality (SATFA) was founded in 1988 by a group of bereaved parents and...

Can augmentation with oxytocin be ‘too much, too soon’?

The World Health Organization (WHO, 2019a; 2019b) reported a 38% reduction in worldwide maternal mortality rate between 2000–2017 and a 50% reduction in the neonatal mortality rate between 1990–2018....

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