Midwifery News and Research

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Reducing caesarean rates

A computerised decision analysis programme which helps women decide on the type of birth that is most appropriate for them could cut the number of caesarean sections performed in England and Wales by 4,000 a year, according to a study by researchers at Bristol University published on bmj.com.

3 Jun 2007

Pilot a model of clinical education for health students

The Griffith University project will develop and pilot a model of clinical education for health students that improves their learning experience and better reflects the realities of clinical practice.

28 May 2007

Should researchers wash their hands of hand washing?

Despite the high profile given to hand washing in hospitals, there is still little robust evidence to show which are the best ways to improve hand hygiene.

19 Apr 2007

Lack of care for older breast cancer patients

Older women with breast cancer get a lower level of care than younger women, researchers at The University of Manchester have found.

From The University of Manchester 29 Mar 2007

New Zealand's Ministry of Health releases revised maternity facilities access agreement

The New Zealand's Ministry of Health has released the revised Maternity Facilities Access Agreement, a contract which sets out the obligations of Lead Maternity Carers (LMCs) when bringing women to hospitals and birthing units for labour and birth services, and of District Health Boards, who provide LMCs with access to their facilities to provide labour and birth services.

14 Mar 2007

'Neglect,' not biology, kills 1 in 20 women in Africa

One in 20 women in Africa is at risk of dying in childbirth, but "[i]t's not biology that kills them so much as neglect," New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof writes in an opinion piece.

26 Sep 2006

Inadequate hospital hand hygiene is spreading MRSA

Unwashed hands in England's hospitals are contributing to the spread of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and will continue unless healthcare professionals are taught to assess risk, reveals new research.

24 Jul 2006

Low morale and staff shortages means 'grave' situation for midwives

The morale of British midwives is at an all time low and 10,000 extra staff are needed, according to a leading healthcare expert.

From Sheffield Hallam University 9 May 2006

Researchers test secret herb to stop hot flushes associated with breast cancer

Researchers at the University of Manchester are testing a secret herb in a bid to stop the severe hot flushes that besiege breast cancer patients on hormone treatment.

From The University of Manchester 3 May 2006

Nurses encouraged to practice family-centered maternity care

The March issue of Journal of Obstetric Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing is challenging nurses who care for pregnant and laboring women to reconsider family centered maternity care.

18 Apr 2006

Largest study of nurses and midwives ever attempted in the world

University of Queensland (UQ) researchers are undertaking the largest and only longitudinal study of nurses and midwives ever attempted in the world.

6 Apr 2006

Nigeria approves misoprostol for use in hospitals and clinics

An old drug will gain a new use in Nigeria when misoprostol will be distributed for prevention and control of post-partum hemorrhage, the life-threatening bleeding after childbirth that commonly occurs in developing countries.

3 Apr 2006

Risks of cesarean delivery are under reported, benefits overstated

Unnecessary cesarean delivery constitutes a threat to the future health of mothers and babies who undergo major surgery, according to experts who spoke at a media briefing hosted by the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), in Washington, D.C. today.

20 Mar 2006

Perineal massage helps childbirth

Low-tech, at-home preparation in the last month before childbirth could help pregnant mothers avoid one of the more common surgeries performed on women in the United States, a new review suggests.

25 Jan 2006

Talking about postnatal depression

Ongoing media and community campaigns have helped to destigmatise, and inform about, a wide range of mental illnesses. However new Macquarie University research into postnatal depression has revealed that the identification and uptake of treatment for this disorder remains a serious problem among sufferers.

10 Jan 2006

Mum's the Word: Exploring Early Motherhood

Mums are the focus of a new study being undertaken by RMIT University researcher Leanne Sheeran.

5 Dec 2005

Bleak outlook for overweight Australians

International research into the relationship between obesity and heart failure has uncovered a bleak outlook for already overweight Australians. The research shows that obesity is set to be one of the biggest risks for heart disease over the next decade.

28 Sep 2005

Government ignoring underlying capacity problems says

Dr Hamish Meldrum, chairman of the BMA's General Practitioners Committee (GPC), commenting on the Government's access announcement, said the Government was failing to tackle the underlying capacity problem behind the current difficulties in booking GP appointments.

7 Sep 2005

Stress does not appear to influence the outcome of IVF

New research from Sweden has shown that psychological stress does not appear to influence the outcome of IVF – good news for women who fear that the understandable anxiety that they suffer during fertility treatment might damage their chances of conceiving.

24 Aug 2005

Specialist counselling does not help pregnant smokers quit

Motivational interviewing by specially trained midwives does not help pregnant smokers to quit, finds new research in this week's BMJ (British Medical Journal).

11 Aug 2005