Non-Physician Providers: Midwives

Posted: September 9th, 2013

Non-Physician Providers: Midwives

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Non-Physician Providers: Midwives

Midwifery refers to the health care vocation involving the provision of managed health concerns to childbearing women during the pregnancy, labor and childbirth stages as well as the postnatal period. With regard to this, women with childbearing concerns require the involvement of midwives regardless of the prevailing circumstances. Hence, it is important to consider the factors as well as their importance in choosing the services of midwifery.

1. What factors would be important to you in making a final decision?

One factor is consideration of a home or hospital birth. This is because both situations require a midwife adaptable to the prevailing situation (Zelek et al, 2005). Another factor is insurance. Insurance also provides funding for pregnancy. This is indicated whereby insurance provides treatment for childbirth since it treats pregnancy as an illness. The type of midwife is also a factor to be considered. There are two types of midwives. The lay midwife is a guide through the pregnancy process in a domestic setting and is regulated by the state. The CNM works in a hospital setting.

1. Why are these factors important?

The first factor is the home or hospital birth consideration, involves the complexity of the pregnancy. A home birth is realistic if the pregnancy develops normally. In a complicated pregnancy, a hospital birth would be reasonable and will require a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM), who works in a hospital (Zelek et al, 2005). The second factor, insurance, is valid because it will determine whether a midwife will be available or limited. This is because insurance excludes the services of a midwife. Thus, if there is an indication of pregnancy insurance, then assigning a midwife will be limited. The third factor, type of midwife, determines the choices of midwives available. Depending on the prevailing circumstances, the lay midwife and the CNM are the two options available for childbirth.

1. How might the factors differ for someone else in two different social situations?

In some social situations, midwifery is governed by cultural practices. The practices have an effect on the factors valid for consideration. For instance, traditional societies advocate for lay midwifery since they do not advocate for use of medicinal treatment. Hence, the woman in labor requires domestic delivery practices that rule out insurance, CNMs and limit the choice of midwifery to the lay midwife (Smith & Askew, 2006). Another social situation relates to the woman’s traumatic situations. These situations are usually characterized by the conflict in society in terms of war or crime. For example, the recent spates of political instability traumatize pregnant women due to the violence in Turkey (Kukulu & Oncel, 2009). In such cases, a factor such as the client’s background is considered. It involves knowing about the experiences of the client as well as the demography of the client’s location in order to deliver efficient midwifery practices for the client by employing empathy regarding the client’s experiences.

1. Was your partner’s suggestion helpful to improve your writing?

The suggestions provided for the writing by the partner were useful in improvement of the writing. This is because it encouraged and paved way for the integration of new ideas as well as understanding of the writing’s objectives and specifications. For instance, the partner suggested the instances of social situations that can affect the factors required when choosing a midwife. By providing such a suggestion, it was feasible to expand on the effect of different social situations on the provision of midwifery services to women experiencing labor.

1. What did you suggest to improve your partner’s writing?

The suggestions provided to the partner involved the important factors considered when deciding on the use of a midwife for childbirth. The factors suggested are experienced by most women in labor and are facilitated by the knowledge acknowledged from experiences.

Midwifery is complex and requires the cooperation of the client in order to ensure sufficient and proper delivery and nurture of the child. With the modification in time, midwives have become available in informal settings in communities. This enables midwives to be sufficiently accessible especially in the domestic situation if childbirth is imminent.

References

Kukulu, K., & Oncel, S. (February 01, 2009). Factors influencing women’s decision to have a home birth in rural Turkey. Midwifery, 25, 1, 32-38. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17368665/

Smith, M., & Askew, D. A. (January 01, 2006). Choosing childbirth provider location–rural women’s perspective. Rural and Remote Health, 6, 3, 510. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16938096/

Zelek, B., Orrantia, E., Poole, H., & Strike, J. (January 01, 2007). Home or away? Factors affecting where women choose to give birth. Canadian Family Physician Médecin De Famille Canadien, 53, 1, 79-83. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17872613/