Respectful vaginal examinations are an essential skill required of midwives. However, midwives also need to discern the necessity of vaginal examinations as ‘routine’ procedures against a preordained ‘clock’. Discerning necessary and unnecessary vaginal examinations is a skill in itself; this study sheet expands that idea to consider the other ways and methods of assessing the progress of labour without recourse to routine vaginal examinations. Therefore, facilitating a wider, more holistic approach to clinical care.

Iron deficiency poses significant risks to pregnant women worldwide, impacting both maternal health and the wellbeing of newborns. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2023, approximately 40% of children aged 6–59 months, 37% of pregnant women, and 30% of women aged 15–49 years are affected by anaemia globally. Whether pre-existing or developing during pregnancy, childbirth, or the postnatal period, iron deficiency and anaemia require careful attention. This course, will help you to understand the physiological mechanisms of iron absorption, explore the challenges faced by women and families in adhering to routine iron supplementation, and discuss strategies to overcome these obstacles. Additionally, we will provide supportive practice considerations aligned with national and global recommendations, empowering you with the knowledge and tools needed to promote maternal health and ensure the well-being of both mothers and newborns. New for 2024.

The Better Births report (NHS, 2016) emphasises collaboration with service users, indicating that involving women, families, and birthing people in the maternity services leads to safer, more personalised, and effective care (Sandall et al, 2016). While this approach is applicable worldwide, not all healthcare systems enable active user feedback in maternity care. Feedback and involvement can occur during perinatal care meetings like clinics, home visits, specialist listening services or groups. The mini course showcases a UK example, the maternity voices partnerships, illustrating how service users contribute to creating a safe and quality maternity service. New Course 2023.

Central to respectful, humanised care is the active recognition of women’s bodily autonomy. This means that women have the only and final say on what happens to their body. In the UK, we have strong legislation that supports women’s human rights in childbirth. Fundamental to these rights is the application of meaningful consent in all aspects of our care, this includes respecting women’s decisions should they decline recommendations of care. This study sheet will offer direct guidance regarding consent, and while a UK focused paper it can be applied to other contexts.

As midwives, we are expected to use research to ensure our practice is evidence-based. However, engaging with research findings frequently feels challenging as we navigate the nuanced language and methods used to generate midwifery knowledge. Understanding research approaches and perspectives is crucial for our midwifery studies and to inform our every-day work with childbearing women, people and their families.

In the first study sheet, we introduced this series – ‘Unpacking research’ and focused on a quantitative systematic review to explore critical appraisal skills. This second study sheet focuses on a qualitative systematic review and the skills required to appraise such a review. As a reminder, appraising research means to make an informed assessment of the quality of the research reported. Checking for quality is important before we implement findings into our practice. Do note, quality assessment is a complex area with many differences of opinion so novice assessments should be held as tentative rather than definitive.

Research underpins evidence-based midwifery care and practice. However, understanding and appraising research is its own unique skill set which requires ongoing practice to learn. Appraising research means to make an informed assessment of the quality of the research reported. Checking for quality is important before we implement findings into our practice. Do note, quality assessment is a complex area with many differences of opinion so novice assessments should be held as tentative rather than definitive. 

Many women suffer from perineal tearing during childbirth, statistics suggest between 53-79%! While severe tearing, third and fourth-degree tears are quite low, the impact to women can be life-changing; ongoing pain, incontinence, painful sex has detrimental effects on women’s mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. There are several ways perineal tearing can be reduced, however, the focus of this study sheet is the benefit of warm compresses during the second stage of labour.