An understanding by health professionals that, rather than concentrate on either «medicalised» or «natural» birth, focussing on individualising care and normalising each woman's experience will ultimately provide the high quality care that
labouring women require.
Not exact matches
Transfer in
labour was also common (14 %), but on no occasion was obstetric intervention
required in the first hour after transfer;
women transferred appreciated having spent part of their
labour at home
Nearly a third of
women who planned and started their
labours at home ended up being transferred as complications arose — including for instance an abnormal fetal heart rate, or if the mother
required more effective pain relief in the form of an epidural.
The midwife - led continuity model of care includes: continuity of care; monitoring the physical, psychological, spiritual and social well being of the
woman and family throughout the childbearing cycle; providing the
woman with individualised education, counselling and antenatal care; attendance during
labour, birth and the immediate postpartum period by a known midwife; ongoing support during the postnatal period; minimising unnecessary technological interventions; and identifying, referring and co-ordinating care for
women who
require obstetric or other specialist attention.
We excluded
women who
required oxytocin for induction of
labour after the 2:1 matching with our study group, because we learned during the study that the policy with respect to the use of oxytocin for induction of
labour was outside the scope of practice for midwives and family physicians in some hospitals.
The midwife - led continuity model of care includes: continuity of care; monitoring the physical, psychological, spiritual and social wellbeing of the
woman and family throughout the childbearing cycle; providing the
woman with individualised education, counselling and antenatal care; continuous attendance during
labour, birth and the immediate postpartum period; ongoing support during the postnatal period; minimising technological interventions; and identifying and referring
women who
require obstetric or other specialist attention.
In 1992, all constituencies were
required to have a
woman on the shortlist — 37
Labour women were elected.
Rather than speculate as to how low a ceiling this places on Tory support, and whether it is lowest among ethnic minorities, northerners or
women,
Labour should be seeking to complete the decontamination project that the last general election confirmed we
require.