One woman one midwife

One woman, one midwife website with further information and other ways you can join the campaign eg by postcard

Petition - Sign here

 

Currently:

• Over 20% of births are induced 23% of births are by caesarean section - more than half of these are emergency caesareans*
• Around 12% of births are are instrumental deliveries
• During labour and birth around 1/3 of women have an epidural, general or spinal anaesthetic 12% of women have an episiotomy.
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is increasing for women
• Women are reporting feeling frightened and alone in labour

These extremely high intervention rates, soaring levels of postnatal depression and an ever decreasing percentage of mothers breastfeeding, have huge repercussions for the UK’s future health and the NHS.

Under the IMA's NHS Community Midwifery Model women will be cared for by the same midwife throughout pregnancy, labour, birth and postnatally, allowing a relationship to be built between the woman and the midwife.

The Benefits of this model:

• Greater maternal satisfaction
• Increased normal birth rate
• Reduced caesarean section rate
• Increased breastfeeding rates
• Reduced costs of maternity services
• Reduced incidence of post natal depression
• Increased recruitment and retention of midwives
• Increased job satisfaction for midwives 2/3`s of midwives would return to the profession if the conditions were right **

Will it Work?
This model was introduced throughout New Zealand in the early 1990s and is the basis of all maternity care in N.Z. Over half of all N.Z women choose a midwife practicing independently as their lead maternity professional for their pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period. A further 21% chose an employed midwife who holds her own caseload. ***

This model will run alongside existing maternity services, giving women choice about the kind of care they wish to receive and midwives the choice of the way they wish to practice.