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Political column: birth officially proclaimed as normal

Abstract:

1989 has been a momentous year for midwives. First, there was the official launching of our New Zealand College of Midwives; after many years of being little sister to the nursing profession, we made our debut. Then, after ten years of struggle, the 'separate' midwifery education - a whole academic year devoted to midwifery - was commenced at three centres - Auckland, Wellington and Otago/Southland. A further important facet of this course is that it is based on the ICM definition of a midwife, as an independent practitioner. ...The right of a woman to choose a midwife for her care during a normal pregnancy and birth is supported by the Department of Health Policy Recommendations for Pregnancy and Childbirth (6th draft). ...This is the first time since the 1920s that the Department of Health has officially proclaimed that pregnancy and birth are normal.

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autonomous practitioner, medicalisation of birth, normal birth, Nurses Amendment Bill