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Changing the tide: influencing factors for midwives on vaginal breech birth skill acquisition

Changing the tide: influencing factors for midwives on vaginal breech birth skill acquisition
Changing the tide: influencing factors for midwives on vaginal breech birth skill acquisition

Background: breech presentation at term occurs in 3%–5% of pregnancies. Many midwives are not skilled in vaginal breech births which affects the safety of vaginal breech birth. This research study begins to explore the influencing factors for skill attainment and potential areas for change to enhance education and competence. 

Method: this was a small exploratory qualitative study that used a focus group with four participants for data collection. 

Findings: the influence of internal and external factors in midwives’ competence are represented by a ‘continuum of change’ and by moving from a place of fear to one of educational enlightenment. This encompasses three themes: ‘not a good place’, ‘changing the tide’ and ‘new normal’. 

Conclusion: education of student midwives and registered midwives is key in creating a safe space for vaginal breech births. Introducing normal physiology early in curriculums can impact the initial framing of vaginal breech birth. The uptake of specialised physiological breech birth training by registered midwives and other birth practitioners is upskilling all practitioners.

Competence, Education, Midwives, Physiological breech birth, Vaginal breech birth
0969-4900
454-462
Furtado, Vairi
b86cab4c-fd63-4cc9-91b9-f15add1a68e9
Kitson-reynolds, Ellen
fb705ade-b899-40c9-9a48-6f44fee9d385
Furtado, Vairi
b86cab4c-fd63-4cc9-91b9-f15add1a68e9
Kitson-reynolds, Ellen
fb705ade-b899-40c9-9a48-6f44fee9d385

Furtado, Vairi and Kitson-reynolds, Ellen (2021) Changing the tide: influencing factors for midwives on vaginal breech birth skill acquisition. British Journal of Midwifery, 29 (8), 454-462. (doi:10.12968/bjom.2021.29.8.454).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Background: breech presentation at term occurs in 3%–5% of pregnancies. Many midwives are not skilled in vaginal breech births which affects the safety of vaginal breech birth. This research study begins to explore the influencing factors for skill attainment and potential areas for change to enhance education and competence. 

Method: this was a small exploratory qualitative study that used a focus group with four participants for data collection. 

Findings: the influence of internal and external factors in midwives’ competence are represented by a ‘continuum of change’ and by moving from a place of fear to one of educational enlightenment. This encompasses three themes: ‘not a good place’, ‘changing the tide’ and ‘new normal’. 

Conclusion: education of student midwives and registered midwives is key in creating a safe space for vaginal breech births. Introducing normal physiology early in curriculums can impact the initial framing of vaginal breech birth. The uptake of specialised physiological breech birth training by registered midwives and other birth practitioners is upskilling all practitioners.

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Changing the tide influencing factors for midwives on vaginal breech birth skill acquisition
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Accepted/In Press date: 24 June 2021
Published date: 4 August 2021
Keywords: Competence, Education, Midwives, Physiological breech birth, Vaginal breech birth

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 451039
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/451039
ISSN: 0969-4900
PURE UUID: 010f474b-2a2f-4d25-beb6-b1b35c31fb42

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Date deposited: 03 Sep 2021 16:34
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 06:47

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Contributors

Author: Vairi Furtado
Author: Ellen Kitson-reynolds

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