Definition of the Midwife

This is definition of  the Midwife by ICM: International Confederation of Midwives, which is the largest professional  midwifery organization.

Midwifery is specialised and independent branch of health care system, providing primary care for physiological (healthy) pregnant, labouring and women after delivery, including care of newborns.

Midwifery in EU, where I was trained and licensed is regulated by EU Directive 2005/36/ EC on the recognotion of profesional qualifications, which defines conditions of training, evidences of qualifications, acquired rights and pursuit of the professional activities.


PURSUIT OF PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES OF A MIDWIFE:
"The Member States shall ensure that midwives are able to gain access to and pursue at least the following activities:

(a) provision of sound family planning information and advice;

(b) diagnosis of pregnancies and monitoring normal pregnancies; carrying out the examinations necessary for the monitoring of the development of normal pregnancies;

(c) prescribing or advising on the examinations necessary for the earliest possible diagnosis of pregnancies at risk;

(d) provision of programmes of parenthood preparation and complete preparation for childbirth including advice on hygiene and nutrition;

(e) caring for and assisting the mother during labour and monitoring the condition of the foetus in utero by the appropriate clinical and technical means;

(f) conducting spontaneous deliveries including where required episiotomies and in urgent cases breech deliveries;

(g) recognising the warning signs of abnormality in the mother or infant which necessitate referral to a doctor and assisting the latter where appropriate; taking the necessary emergency measures in the doctor's absence, in particular the manual removal of the placenta, possibly followed by manual examination of the uterus;

(h) examining and caring for the new-born infant; taking all initiatives which are necessary in case of need and carrying out where necessary immediate resuscitation;

(i) caring for and monitoring the progress of the mother in the post-natal period and giving all necessary advice to the mother on infant care to enable her to ensure the optimum progress of the new-born infant;

(j) carrying out treatment prescribed by doctors;

(k) drawing up the necessary written reports."SOURCE: EU Legislation