Midwifery in Iceland: From vocational training to university education

Ólafsdóttir, Ólöf Ásta; Kristjansdottir, Hildur; Hálfdánsdóttir, Berglind; Gottfreðsdóttir, Helga

doi:10.1016/j.midw.2018.03.021

Cited by 10 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…The midwifery education in Finland was influenced by Sweden and took more independent form during the second part of the 20 th century. The midwifery education in Norway (1,37,38) and Iceland (5,10,44,46,47) was influenced by Denmark. Norway and Iceland took a step ahead of Denmark by introducing nursing education requirements and at least 1 year's clinical experience before application to midwifery education.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A close relationship between the midwifery and the church continued until the 20 th century. In 1749, midwifery textbooks were translated into the Icelandic language (44,46,47). The year 1761, midwife education was founded and led by an educated midwife but under the supervision of the First Doctor (today Directorate of Health).…”

Section: Midwifery Profession and Education In Islandmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…After 1982, it was required to have nursing education before application to the midwifery education program. From 1994, the midwifery comprises 2 years with an academic level bachelor in obstetrics (46,47). Today midwifery education is 2 years long post-bachelor education (48).…”

Section: Midwifery Profession and Education In Islandmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Women's education and profession midwifery in Nordic countries

Pajalić

Saplacan

2019

JHSCI

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Introduction: Help at birth is one of the historically oldest volunteers supports that a woman has offered to another woman. One of the reasons for high maternal and infant mortality was identified as a lack of basic medical knowledge among the woman who helped during birth and this required immediate action to secure the survival of nations. When the Church and government made demands for education and professional license, the voluntary help at birth transformed into an educated and paid profession for women. The study aimed to describe the evolution of women’s education and the midwifery profession in Nordic countries from the 1600s until today. Methods: Historical and contemporary documents, research and grey literature, are drawn together to provide a historical description of the midwifery professional development and education in Nordic countries. Results: In the Nordic countries, governments from the 1600s had significant problems with high maternal and infant mortality. Most vulnerable were unmarried women and their children. To change the trend, northern countries had been inspired by France, Holland, England, and Germany, which had introduced education and a professional license for midwives. The targeted and systematic investment in midwifery education, followed by industrialization and welfare development in Nordic countries, has resulted in one of the highest survival rates for mothers and infants in the world today. In parallel with this, it has created the first female paid profession in history. Today, midwifery education is at the university level in all Nordic countries, and the certified midwife is responsible for pre- and post-natal care and normal birth. In Sweden, Norway, and Iceland, the midwife’s responsibility also includes contraception counseling and prescription of drugs for birth control purposes. Conclusions: The education and professional licenses have contributed to a progressively improved care of birth women and infants. The professional and licensed midwife is positioned in society as an essential player in the current development of pre- and post-natal care. Furthermore, the graduated and licensed midwife positioned herself as the first paid professional female profession in modern history.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Midwifery Profession and Education In Islandmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Women's education and profession midwifery in Nordic countries

Pajalić

Saplacan

2019

JHSCI

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“…These clinics are staffed by midwives who provide care before, during, and after the birth. Most births in Iceland take place at the University Hospital, while the remainder take place in smaller maternity units around the country (Olafsdottir et al., 2018; The Icelandic Birth Registration, 2017). Most babies are delivered by midwives, with or without the assistance of doctors, and this long-term strategy is rarely questioned (Wrede et al., 2008).…”

Section: Context Of Giving Birth In Icelandmentioning

confidence: 99%

The “good” epidural: Women’s use of epidurals in relation to dominant discourses on “natural” birth

Símonardóttir

Rúdólfsdóttir

2020

Feminism & Psychology

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Childbirth is widely recognized to be among the most painful of experiences, and the most common and effective pain relief for birthing women is known to be the use of epidural analgesia. The increase in the use of epidural analgesia for birthing women has been described by some critics as a by-product of the medicalized model of birth, although there remains a notable dearth of research regarding women’s experiences of epidurals. The present paper seeks to address this research gap by examining how first-time mothers in Iceland discuss their intentions concerning pain relief during birth, along with how they construct childbirth-related pain and the use of epidural analgesia in the context of a midwife-led model of care and an institutionalized preference for “natural” birth. The findings demonstrate that, despite initial intentions, most of the women end up having an epidural, and most describe their epidurals as both wonderful and immensely helpful. The dominant narrative about “natural” childbirth being preferable is not fully refuted by this. Instead, the women either align themselves with the ideology of the capable and knowing body or resist and contest this narrative by constructing their birthing bodies as open to, and in need of, assistance.

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“…Midwife education occurred in the Icelandic capital, and the curriculum included theoretical teaching complemented with a degree. The first textbook was Yfirsetukvennaskólinn , translated into Icelandic and published in 1749 .…”

Section: Growth Of the Midwifery Art – Midwife Education Begins In Nomentioning

confidence: 99%

The history of ideas of Nordic midwives’ excursions from the early 19th century to the millennium

Honkavuo

2019

Scandinavian Caring Sciences

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The midwifery art has emphasised the uniqueness of human beings throughout its Nordic history. The educated Nordic midwife has in the last decade celebrated several hundred years of memories. This article studies how the key ideas of the midwifery art and patterns of ideas become evident in the zeitgeist from the beginning of the 19th century to the millennium in the Nordic countries. The legacy and pattern of ideas of the art of midwifery are interpreted in relation to the texts of the selected historical sources and based on Ricoeur's phenomenological‐hermeneutic approach to the text and further to the dedication of understanding and interpretation. The historical sources refer to unprinted primary sources from historical archives and printed secondary and tertiary sources. The patterns of ideas include a tripartite whole: the true cultivation of the head, the philosophy and aesthetics of the hand, the strength of the heart and the drive of calling. These ideas open for unique visions and attest to the evident in modern midwives. Today's midwives have academic training with examinations, and the education is based on scientific evidence. The midwife profession is authorised by the state and supervised by the authorities.

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Midwifery in Iceland: From vocational training to university education

Cited by 10 publications

References 8 publications

Women's education and profession midwifery in Nordic countries

Women's education and profession midwifery in Nordic countries

The “good” epidural: Women’s use of epidurals in relation to dominant discourses on “natural” birth

The history of ideas of Nordic midwives’ excursions from the early 19th century to the millennium

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