“Discuss the role and responsibilities of the midwife when caring for a woman throughout a normal childbearing experience. BSc Midwifery MW1051 Introduction to Midwifery Theory and Practice”

This essay will identify and discuss the roles and responsibilities of a midwife as a professional practitioner whilst caring for women throughout a normal childbearing experience. Varying definitions of the term midwife will also be discussed, as well as the code, conduct, rules and standards of the practice set out by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) to which a midwife should adhere. Finally the concept of normality as applied to midwifery care will be defined.

The term midwife literally means with maternal woman. However, the official definition of a midwife comes from the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), the International Federation of gynaecologist and Obstetricians (FIGO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) (2005). This definition states that a midwife is a person who has been admitted to and completed an educational programme and has acquired the qualif…(short extract)