Rama midwives in eastern Nicaragua use a wide array of plants in providing health care to women and infants. In this study, I document the use of medicinal plants by Rama midwives on the island of Rama Cay in eastern Nicaragua. Field investigations included semi-structured interviews and field trips with eight midwives to collect voucher specimens. A total of 162 plant species, in 125 genera an...

BACKGROUND In sub-Saharan Africa including South Africa, maternal mortality rates remain unacceptably high due to a shortage of registered nurses with advanced midwifery diplomas. OBJECTIVE To determine the profile of registered nurses (RNs) involved in maternity care in public referral hospitals of the Limpopo Province, South Africa. METHOD A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted...

BACKGROUND The midwifery profession is crucial for a functioning health system aiming at improved maternal and child health outcomes. Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) can be used as a tool to understand actors' interactions in the system around midwifery profession for improved maternal and child health. The purpose of this study is to explore how actors connect to promote the Bangladesh's midwif...

OBJECTIVE to examine the content in midwifery students' written daily reflections and in their supervisors' written feedback during clinical practice at birth units. METHOD a total of 388 reflections written by a cohort of 18 midwifery students and written feedback provided by their supervisors have been analysed using content analysis. FINDINGS one main category, transition to midwifery co...

We used the Lives Saved Tool (LiST) to estimate deaths averted if midwifery was scaled up in 78 countries classified into three tertiles using the Human Development Index (HDI). We selected interventions in LiST to encompass the scope of midwifery practice, including prepregnancy, antenatal, labour, birth, and post-partum care, and family planning. Modest (10%), substantial (25%), or universal ...

Prior to 2006 Irish midwifery education was available only in the form of postgraduate inhospital training to registered nurses. Since 2006 midwifery education continues to be offered as a postgraduate course but it is also available as a direct entry undergraduate programme in a number of Irish third level institutions. In line with these changes in Irish midwifery education, the National Coun...