146988 Midwifery model of care: A comparison of public health policy in high and low resource countries

Sunday, November 4, 2007

Barbara A. Anderson, DrPH, CNM, CHES , College of Nursing, Seattle University, Seattle, WA
Katherine Camacho Carr, PhD, CNM, FACNM , College of Nursing, Seattle University, Seattle, WA
Public health policy that supports the midwifery model of care is examined across 9 countries where the authors have either served as midwifery consultants or have studied the public health systems on site. Although varying widely in human and financial resources, levels of maternal mortality, and childbirth settings, these 9 nations share a commitment to the World Health Organization midwifery model of care. This presentation examines public health policy as it affects reproductive rights, access to care during childbearing, and provision of care by a trained midwife in the referenced nations. Examples of policy impact on practice are presented from four low-resource countries (Guyana, Papua New Guinea, Tunisia,Uganda) and five high-resource countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden).

Learning Objectives:
By the end of the session, the participant will be able to: 1. Discuss the midwifery model of care as public health policy 2. Link this policy approach to reproductive rights 3. Compare the public health policies of nine selected countries that normalize the midwifery model of care in childbirth

Keywords: International Reproductive Health, Midwifery

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Issues in Maternal Health: Global
See more of: Population, Family Planning, and Reproductive Health