Issue 132

A Midwife and Her Wheels

If you say “Just take an Uber!” or “Call Lyft,” to most people in this country, they not only know what you are talking about, but how to do it. Me? I haven’t a clue. I haven’t taken public transportation—not a taxi, not a bus, not the “T” (I live in Boston)—in 30 years.

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Wisdom of the Midwives: Hemorrhages

Wisdom of the Midwives – Conversations from Facebook Issue 132

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All She Wanted Was Her Socks: Bolivia’s First Doula

Editor’s note: This article first appeared in Midwifery Today, Issue 132, Winter 2019.Join Midwifery Today Online Membership The United States’ use of doulas during childbirth is on the rise. A 2012 survey conducted by Evidence Based Births indicated that 6% of the births in the US are conducted with the assistance of a doula, up from 3% in a 2006 national survey (Declercq et al. 2007; Declercq et al. 2013). This growing acceptance of doulas is not shared in countries like Bolivia where Canadian expat, Vanessa Sykes, delivered her daughter, Isabella, four years ago. She says, “I wanted a vaginal birth and to women outside Bolivia this seems like a given; but in Bolivia, women are kept out of the birthing process.” Sykes refused to be excluded. This refusal led her into a journey that resulted in her becoming the first registered doula in Bolivia, as well as forming Vanessa Sykes Birthing Services in Santa Cruz de la Tierra, Bolivia. Vanessa Sykes Birthing Services is a first in Santa Cruz de la Tierra—one of the fastest growing cities in the world. Services include an array of doula care ranging from prenatal to postpartum care. They also offer some of the only Lamaze classes and lactation counseling in Bolivia. Sykes is always adding to the services. She said, “Last year I went to Brazil to learn about Spinning Babies, which includes different exercises women can introduce while pregnant to help with the birthing process.” She hopes these services provide the care she did not receive when she gave birth to Isabella. “I had a difficult time finding a professional that could help me,” Sykes said, “I didn’t want to have any interventions. I wanted to be able to do what I wanted to do when birthing my baby.”  The first obstetrician… Read more…. All She Wanted Was Her Socks: Bolivia’s First Doula

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Mercy In Action’s Diploma in International Midwifery and Maternal/Child Health

Each year hundreds of midwives go overseas or cross borders to attempt to improve the dire crisis of maternity care in developing countries, disaster and war zones, and refugee camps. Some of these efforts have better outcomes than others and foreign aid is often seen by the local people as a mix of help, potential harm, and cultural misunderstandings. One of the biggest concerns we hear is that the well-meaning people who volunteer are not prepared or educated on what local people feel they need and do not take the time to learn about their unique burdens.

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Clinical Research and the Shortage of Midwives in Northeastern Nigerian Primary Health Care Centres

Editor’s note: This article first appeared in Midwifery Today, Issue 132, Winter 2019.Join Midwifery Today Online Membership A major global health challenge is the reduction of maternal and newborn deaths. In Nigeria, women of childbearing age face immeasurable hardship, violence, and the prospect of death. This is a huge challenge, with conflict raging across the northern part of the country. We undertook a study to determine whether there were sufficient numbers of midwives working in primary health care (PHC) centres of Northeastern Nigeria. Globally, midwives are working hard to turn around the high maternal and newborn death rate and make good health more than just a wish. Together we can save lives.  Midwives Play an Important Role in Guaranteeing Good Health of Mothers and Babies Women in Nigeria face one of the highest maternal death rates in the world during pregnancy, childbirth, and related complications, with over 800 maternal deaths per 100,000 or about 58,000 deaths in 2015, according to the World Health Organization (WHO 2019). Most deaths involve bleeding (antepartum or postpartum), hypertension (preeclampsia/eclampsia), obstructed labour, and infections (WHO 2019b).  The shortage of midwives contributes to the poor state of maternal and child health care in northeast Nigeria, especially in rural areas. Conflict has also aggravated this situation, with health facilities either destroyed or badly damaged and many health workers being forced to flee. Millions of people have fled their homes and are presently in need of life-saving assistance. The three most affected states in Northeastern Nigeria are Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa. TABLE: Distribution of selected PHC facilities and midwives according to four LGAs in Yobe state LGAs Number of PHC Centres Number of Midwives Damaturu 13 20 Gujba (conflict area) 9 4 Fune 19 6 Gulani Armed conflict zone 1 The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) estimated that… Read more…. Clinical Research and the Shortage of Midwives in Northeastern Nigerian Primary Health Care Centres

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Media Reviews – Issue 132

Media Reviews – Issue 132 – The Women Who Caught the Babies: A Story of African American Midwives, What God Is Honored Here? Writings on Miscarriage and Infant Loss by and for Native Women and Women of Color, Safe Infant Sleep: Expert Answers to Your Cosleeping Questions, and Heart & Hands: A Midwife’s Guide to Pregnancy and Birth, 5th Edition Read more…. Media Reviews – Issue 132

Photo Album – Issue 132

Photo Album – Issue 132 – Sara Assis Albuquerque – Photography by Elis Freitas

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Recovering from a Shocking Hemorrhage

We had an experience long ago that drove home how mamas truly need recovery help between the immediate stopping of bleeding and eating iron-rich foods for the next month. This story has a good ending and we learned from it, so no need to get triggered, okay?  Read more…. Recovering from a Shocking Hemorrhage

Newborn Care in the Context of a Developing Country

In my first and second articles in this series, I mentioned that in Thailand, they have an expression that translates in English to “same same but different.” As is true with pregnancy and labor and delivery, so it is true of caring for the newborn, as well. There are unique aspects to newborn care in a low-resource setting and, while many elements of caring for a newborn baby in the six weeks following birth are universal, the midwife needs to be aware of how best practices can be different according to the setting. The International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) has created global standards, competencies, and guidelines to ensure that midwives in all countries have effective education and skills (ICM 2018). When working in developing countries where newborn mortality is high in the neonatal period, the midwife should possess advanced skills and be humble about the high-risk population in which she may find herself. Business as usual will not be adequate or even ethical in these situations.

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Pregnancy Diet: Birth Outcome Depends Less on Diet than on Frequent Use of Interventions in Hospital Birth

What diet is optimal in pregnancy? The answer seems simple: Any diet, including vegan, that provides adequate but not too many macro- and micronutrients, when combined with uncontaminated water supply, daily exercise, and a healthy lifestyle free of physical abuse, excessive stress, and alcohol and drug addictions will have optimal outcomes. Read more…. Pregnancy Diet: Birth Outcome Depends Less on Diet than on Frequent Use of Interventions in Hospital Birth

Perinatal Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a fairly common mental health problem that can affect men and women at any time of life (Young 2019). It is called perinatal OCD when a woman develops OCD during pregnancy or after birth—the perinatal period. Perinatal OCD affects at least 2 in every 100 women (Marchesi et al. 2016). Read more…. Perinatal Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Midwifery & Childbirth News – Issue 132

Midwifery & Childbirth News – Issue 132

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