Clinical Practice
Urinary catheterisation: Indications and complications
Increasing numbers of women, either during the birth process or in the postnatal period, require an indwelling urinary catheter for a number of reasons This could be because the woman requires a...
Using the Valsalva technique during the second stage of labour
The Valsalva technique of directed pushing during the second stage of labour is a childbirth intervention that has long been common practice in Western culture (Petersen and Besuner, 1997; O'Connell...
Cell-free DNA fetal blood group testing for RhD-negative pregnant women: Implications for midwifery
Red cell (D) allo-immunisation is a complication of pregnancy that can occur when a pregnant woman does not have the D antigen on her red blood cells (RhD negative) but her fetus does (RhD positive)...
Common skin complaints in neonates
Alongside the midwife's role in antenatal care and during birth, responsibilities extend to some care of the newborn in the first few weeks of life, during which time a variety of skin problems may...
Reducing diabetes-related complications in pregnancy
In February 2015, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, 2015) revised its ‘Diabetes in pregnancy’ guideline to include new recommendations based on evidence from recent clinical...
Pelvic girdle pain: Are we missing opportunities to make this a problem of the past?
Pelvic girdle pain (PGP), formerly known as symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD), was first described in the time of Hippocrates (Snelling, 1870) Until recently, quantitative research, much of which has...
Vitamin supplementation and nutrition during pregnancy and breastfeeding
The developing baby in the womb is completely dependent on its mother for its nutrient supply, so the quality of the maternal diet is extremely important During pregnancy, increased intake is required...
Supporting the individual needs of obese pregnant women: Effects of risk-management processes
Rates of obesity worldwide have doubled in the past 30 years (World Health Organization (WHO), 2013) and obesity in the UK is reaching epidemic levels The Health and Social Care Information Centre...
Risk of venous thromboembolism during pregnancy and birth
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the leading cause of direct maternal deaths in the UK (Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), 2015) A report published by MBRRACE-UK (Mothers and...
Caesarean section by maternal request
The emergence of caesarean section by maternal request (CSMR) as a concept is closely related to a shift in the perception of childbirth from a physiological process to a medical one, as has occurred...
Perceptions of risk: How they influence women's and health professionals' choices
Physiologically and culturally, women are programmed and supported to provide an optimum environment for their unborn baby
A contemporary review of peripartum cardiomyopathy
Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is defined as the development of an idiopathic cardiomyopathy presenting with heart failure secondary to left ventricular systolic dysfunction, towards the end of...
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