{"id":8079,"date":"2017-04-19T07:16:28","date_gmt":"2017-04-19T06:16:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mojababica.si\/preventive-midwifery-check-ups-during-pregnancy-the-difference-between-slovenia-and-australia\/"},"modified":"2017-04-19T07:16:28","modified_gmt":"2017-04-19T06:16:28","slug":"preventive-midwifery-check-ups-during-pregnancy-the-difference-between-slovenia-and-australia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mojababica.si\/en\/preventive-midwifery-check-ups-during-pregnancy-the-difference-between-slovenia-and-australia\/","title":{"rendered":"Preventive Midwifery Check-ups During Pregnancy – The Difference Between Slovenia and Australia"},"content":{"rendered":"

Preventive check-ups for pregnant women in Slovenia have been a frequent topic recently. Who should perform them: a gynecologist or a midwife? Even during our midwifery studies at university, we often discussed 5 out of the 10 preventive check-ups during pregnancy that, by law, should be led by a midwife, but are currently still conducted by a gynecologist. The Guidelines for the Implementation of Preventive Healthcare in Slovenia at the Primary Level (2002) state that during pregnancy, 10 systematic check-ups and 2 ultrasound examinations should be performed, along with individual counseling.<\/strong><\/em> It mentions the “Regulation on Five Systematic Check-ups” (in the 16th, 32nd, 37th, 38th, and 39th weeks of pregnancy), which can be performed by a certified midwife or a registered nurse trained for independent work. Slovenian healthcare is progressing slowly, but changes are already visible, indicating that midwives will indeed perform these 5 preventive check-ups. <\/p>\n

In her diploma thesis “Preventive Midwifery Check-ups During Pregnancy – The Difference Between Slovenia and Australia,” the author compares preventive check-ups in these two countries. She chose to compare with Australia<\/strong><\/em> primarily because it ranks among the leading countries worldwide where maternal care during pregnancy is well-organized.<\/strong><\/em> It is often mentioned online as a country where pregnant women and their newborns are well cared for. She also knows a midwife from Australia who helped her with her thesis through an interview. <\/p>\n

The Australian Government: Department of Health and Ageing (2012) website presents guidelines<\/strong><\/em> for preventive check-ups and maternal care during pregnancy, stating that pregnant women can choose their healthcare professional to care for them during pregnancy. There are several different care models presented to the pregnant woman at the first antenatal appointment. In Australia, there are antenatal clinics where only midwives care for pregnant women during the antenatal period. Thus, qualified midwives can perform all 10 systematic check-ups, with the involvement of a doctor in cases of pathological pregnancies. <\/p>\n

Perriman and Davis (2015) state that continuous midwifery care in Australia has advanced significantly over the last twenty-five years. Midwifery maternal care is one of the best for pregnant women<\/strong><\/em>. Pregnant women can develop a special bond with their midwife and thus work in a good, friendly relationship with them, without fear or uncertainty. Midwives can act autonomously as primary healthcare professionals and treat each pregnant woman with individualized personal care, collaborating with other specialists. <\/p>\n

INTERVIEW with a midwife from Australia:<\/strong><\/p>\n

She conducted an interview with a midwife from Australia to include personal views on work and preventive approaches from the perspective of a specialist midwifery expert with many years of experience in her diploma thesis. The questions mostly cover topics in the field of preventive care for pregnant women and a comparison of midwifery in Slovenia and Australia. <\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Please introduce yourself briefly.<\/strong> <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    I am a certified midwife in Australia, born in Slovenia. I have been working in midwifery for 15 years. I completed my midwifery education in the UK, where I also worked for a short time. Because I wanted something new in my life, and because I am a very open person who likes to try new things, I applied online for a midwife position in Australia. To my incredible surprise, I got the job the very next day. Soon after, I moved to Australia, specifically Melbourne, with my two sons. Today, I am the head midwife at a maternity hospital in Melbourne<\/strong><\/em>. I am very satisfied with my work and life in Australia. <\/p>\n

    To better address the topic, I interviewed a midwife with fifteen years of experience in midwifery. Relevant for the interview<\/em> were the experiences she gained during her education in the UK and later through her work in Australia.<\/em><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Describe your work experience in midwifery from the completion of your education to your current position.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      I have been working in various fields of midwifery for 15 years. When my children were 4 years old, I enrolled in midwifery school in the UK.<\/em><\/strong> The school lasted 3 years full-time, divided into 50% practical training in the maternity hospital and 50% theoretical study at school. I got my first midwifery job immediately after graduating in the UK. It is characteristic of this European country that a newly qualified midwife rotates every 6 months between the maternity ward, postnatal ward, antenatal clinic, and community midwifery service, which also includes home births.<\/strong><\/em> I rotated for 2 years, and then I decided to work with home births. This work primarily involved home births and all preventive and community visits for women who chose home births. There were 6 teams of midwives at the workplace, with 6 midwives in each team, and each team worked collaboratively. P<\/strong>regnant women who opted for a home birth were visited by all 6 midwives throughout their entire pregnancy.<\/em><\/strong> When the due date arrived, one of these 6 midwives attended the birth. She always had another midwife from the team as assistance. If that wasn’t possible, she called another midwife from a different team of 6 midwives. When she wasn’t performing regular preventive and postnatal visits, she carried a pager that notified her of the onset of labor. I did this work for 1 year. It seemed very stressful, as you had little free time and were always anticipating, never knowing exactly when labor would begin.<\/em> <\/p>\n

      After one year, I got a midwife job in Australia. Since work here is divided into private and public sectors, I first started in the private sector. Because they trusted me, I became one of the leading midwives at a maternity hospital in Melbourne, where I still work today. Among other things, I completed a psychology course in midwifery and teach midwifery students. My work is at night; I work 4 days a week and have the other 3 days off. By law, I must participate in preventive check-ups and community midwifery services for 4 weeks a year. This way, I refresh my knowledge and don’t forget what’s happening in midwifery outside the hospital. I combine work in both private and public maternity hospitals. I am very satisfied with my job. <\/p>\n

      From the description, it is evident that the scope of midwives’ work in the UK is very extensive. Midwives work in various fields, actively involved in antenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal care for pregnant women. Even during their studies, midwifery students are actively involved in all types of workplaces. Midwives can also complete ultrasound training courses during their studies, learn how to suture tears, and thus contribute to continuous care for pregnant women. Later, they undergo a 2-year internship, during which they choose the area where they wish to work. I believe that an internship in Slovenia would bring many more practical skills and experiences. We could also choose a direction that is most interesting to us and in which we could become experts. <\/em> <\/em><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. What are your experiences in the field of preventive check-ups?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        I encountered preventive check-ups during my studies in the UK. There was a strong emphasis on preventive check-ups<\/em>, and then at the beginning of my career, when I spent 6 months rotating in an “antenatal clinic.” This is a clinic where midwives perform preventive check-ups. Midwives in the UK also perform ultrasound examinations themselves, as they have the opportunity to train and independently perform ultrasounds. In Australia, there are also preventive check-up clinics where midwives independently manage everything, even women with high blood pressure during pregnancy are managed by midwives, with doctors only providing additional instructions. <\/p>\n

        I believe it is very beneficial for a midwife to be able to perform ultrasounds during pregnancy, as this contributes to preventive and better care for pregnant women. In Slovenia, there is currently no course that would allow midwives to learn ultrasound methods. <\/em><\/p>\n

          \n
        1. What are the main differences in preventive check-ups between the UK and Australia?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          <\/strong>Both countries have “antenatal clinics,” which Slovenia still lacks, meaning a type of clinic for preventive check-ups for pregnant women.<\/strong><\/em> In our maternity hospital in Australia, we have 9 clinics open on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Each clinic is run by a certified midwife. One doctor is available for any deviations from a normal pregnancy. Midwives can consult with this doctor, and even if a pregnant woman has high blood pressure, the midwife continues to manage her in collaboration with the doctor. Each woman has 20 minutes for a conversation and a focused examination with the midwife. The main difference with Slovenia is that Australia has a specific document on models of care in pregnancy.<\/strong><\/em> It states that the professional who meets the pregnant woman, typically at the first antenatal visit, should present the models of care to her. This means that the pregnant woman chooses who will manage her pregnancy. She can choose from the following care models: <\/p>\n