Midwifery and Sexuality Geuens, Sam; Polona Mivsek, Ana; Gianotten, Woet L
2023, 2023-03-09
eBook
Open access
This first open-access book on midwifery and sexuality integrates sexual health into the care for the pregnant and postpartum couple. It addresses sexuality and intimacy from an education and ...prevention perspective instead of just focusing on treating problems, aiming to foster the development of sexual well-being and happy couplehood. Sexuality and intimacy are essential elements in the bonding of the couple and the parents-to-be. That process can be seriously hampered by sexual problems due to mutual misunderstanding, fear and sexual troubles (especially when the natural processes of conceiving, pregnancy and delivery are disturbed). In this phase of life, disruption of intimacy, sexuality and sexual relationship is a significant risk factor for developing couple and family problems. The need for such a book stems from the very limited attention given to this health area in the daily practice of most midwives and related healthcare professionals. In building a close relationship with the couple through frequent, intense, longstanding contact, the midwife acquires a perfect position to address sexuality and intimacy. With 36 authors from 14 countries, the book comprises five modules: 1. Sexuality; 2. Sexual aspects of the various phases of reproduction when things develop without complications; 3. Sexual aspects when those same phases deviate from physiology; 4. Special topics on sexuality relevant to daily midwifery practice; 5. Teaching, learning, skills and competencies with regard to sexuality. This new practical textbook guides healthcare professionals such as midwives, obstetricians, gynaecologists, nurses, general practitioners, pelvic floor therapists, etc., by offering both basic knowledge and skills on sexual health and wellbeing, combined with modern sexological knowledge, like the entirely new topic of sexual aspects of preconception care.
Midwifery across the globe faces different issues. In some countries the autonomy of the profession is a tradition, while in some societies midwives struggle to practice autonomously the basic ...competencies. In one part of the world the medicalisation of childbirth is the main issue, preventing the natural processes of pregnancy and childbirth to flow at their own pace, while in other parts of the world midwives struggle with lack of resources to provide safe midwifery care. The authors of this book practice midwifery in different cultures and within different social contexts. They have to deal with different obstacles and seek solutions to diverse problems. With their contributions, they offer an insight into their thinking, their dilemmas, and the problems of midwifery practices in their countries. However, despite different backgrounds, they all have in common a uniform goal - a wish to offer women optimal midwifery care and to improve midwifery services.
Background: Pregnant women are said to have higher stress levels than non-pregnant women, but as non US studies have shown, stress increased during the pandemic due to the unique circumstances of ...unpredictability, fear of infection, limited access to health services, and financial uncertainty. The aim of this study was to determine the extent of stress associated with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic among pregnant women in Slovenia and to determine in which areas they experienced the greatest stress. Methods: A descriptive and causal non-experimental method of empirical research was used. The research approach was based on quantitative research, and a validated questionnaire—Pandemic-Related Pregnancy Stress Scale (PREPS) was used as the research instrument. Eleven hundred and four pregnant women participated in the study. Results: We found that more than one-third of the participants experienced high levels of stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data demonstrated that those who were pregnant for the first time, had a high-risk pregnancy, experienced income loss, and were in their second or third trimester had higher levels of stress. The highest stress level was reported due to concern about infection. More specifically, 54.4% of pregnant women experienced high levels of stress related to fear of infection and in 47% high stress levels were related to fear with regard to childbirth. Conclusions: Respondents reported a range of mild to severe stress. They worried about the baby, about the need for isolation during labor and delivery, and about losing their social network in the postpartum period. It is important to know that stress during pregnancy also affects the fetus. We suggest that it would be useful to screen pregnant women for stress, with PREPS being used for this purpose. All women with high stress levels should be offered interventions, e.g., online stress reduction counselling.
Introduction: The COVID-19 epidemic and its restrictions have affected all aspects of people’s lives, including health-related quality of life and, considering sexuality as an integral part of ...individual needs, also intimacy and sexuality. Therefore, the aim of this article was to investigate women’s sexual functioning and health-related quality of life assessment in Slovenian women in the reproductive period.
Methods: An online survey with valid questionnaires (short form 36 SF-36 and Female sexual function index FSFI-19) was conducted in January 2022. All research ethical measures were taken to ensure the integrity of the participants.
Results: The FSFI scale score was 25.37 ± 8.29, 1.18 points above the cutoff point, indicating a higher risk of sexual dysfunction (26.55). The estimated prevalence of sexual dysfunction was 36.8%, with sexual desire being the most problematic area. The mean score on the SF-36 scale in our sample reached 73.52 ± 13.84 on a 100-point scale, with 0 representing the worst and 100 the best quality of life; fatigue (x̅ = 48.50) was the most problematic category. The results partly reflect the results of foreign studies, but we must be aware of cultural differences in the understanding of sexuality and keep in mind that some countries faced difficult circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic and that social constraints were different in 2020 than in 2022.
Conclusion: The epidemic affected the sexual function of women of reproductive age and their perception of (health-related) quality of life.
•In order to achieve professional status, the public needs to admit the role of a professional group, therefore for midwifery professionalism, it is of major importance that women recognize the ...competencies of the midwife.•The Midwifery Profiling Questionnaire - MidProQ is a validated tool that can be used in defining the recognition of midwifery role amongst lay people.•This survey confirmed the results of former studies that women who experienced an obstetrician-led model of care find it hard to realize the potential of full scope midwifery practice.
The role of the midwife is well defined and midwifery education is precisely prescribed in order that students gain all competencies that derive from the definition of midwifery profession. However in Slovenia, midwives do not practice the full scope midwifery, therefore the aim of the study was to explore whether women are aware of the role that midwives have.
In order to study the lay people awareness of midwives’ role and competencies, a quanitative survey was performed using the validated Midwifery Profiling Questionnaire (MidProQ), designed by a Belgium research team of midwives, adapted to Slovenian circumstances.
An online survey was performed, using the software 1KA. The link to the survey was distributed amongst groups of women via social media.
Snow-ball sampling was used, recruiting women via gynaecology and obstetric forums.
The MidProQ is measuring the agreement of women with statements that describe competencies of midwives for prenatal, intrapartum and postnatal period. 228 fully fulfilled questionnaire were analysed with SPSS programme.
Only 43% of participants felt that midwives were capable of managing an uncomplicated pregnancy independently, however they clearly state their role in uncomplicated labour (93%). Most clearly recognised role of midwives in the postnatal period was breastfeeding counselling (89%). The role of the midwife is intertwined with the competencies of the obstetrician, who majority of participants still consider more competent for managing an uncomplicated pregnancy.
Participants were not aware of all the fields where midwife could practice.
More has to be done that lay public will recognize the potential of full scope midwifery practice, like promoting the profession via social media.
Uvod: Očetje se pogosto vključujejo v porodni proces v vlogi spremljevalcev svojih partnerk ob porodu. Veliko očetov si želi biti prisotnih pri porodu svojega otroka, vendar si pogosto ne ...predstavljajo svoje vloge v porodni sobi. Namen raziskave je bil raziskati izkušnje partnerjev s prisotnostjo pri porodu.Metode: Raziskava temelji na kvalitativni metodologiji. Vzorec zajema pet očetov, starih med 25 in 35 let, ki so imeli za seboj vsaj dve porodni izkušnji. Podatki so bili pridobljeni s pomočjo delno strukturiranih intervjujev in analizirani s pomočjo metode analize vsebine.Rezultati: Za očete je bila prisotnost pri rojstvu njihovega otroka ena izmed najlepših izkušenj v njihovem življenju. Kljub temu da so jo opredelili kot stresno, je bila hkrati zanje pozitivna in polna intenzivnih občutij. Občutili so vznemirjenje, pričakovanje, strah, zaskrbljenost, srečo, veselje, olajšanje ter ponos. Nekateri očetje so bili s strani babice in ostalega zdravstvenega osebja v porodno dogajanje vključeni bolj aktivno, drugi manj.Diskusija in zaključek: Očetje si želijo biti s strani babice in ostalega zdravstvenega osebja obravnavani spoštljivo in kot enakovreden del para, ki se mu rojeva otrok. Priložnosti nadaljnjega raziskovanja se kažejo v proučevanju povezave med prisotnostjo pri porodu ter družinsko in partnersko dinamiko, pa tudi v izkušnjah babic s prisotnostjo očetov v porodnih sobah.
Uvod: Študentovo doživljanje prve klinične prakse zaznamuje njegovo sposobnost nabiranja znanja in izkušenj ter lahko vpliva na njegovo nadaljnjo poklicno pot. Namen raziskave je bil proučiti občutke ...študentov babištva ob prvem srečanju s klinično prakso v porodnem bloku. Metode dela: Izbrana je bila deskriptivna kvantitativna metoda dela. Uporabljen je bil spletni vprašalnik. Vzorec je bil namenski (n = 52), anketirani so bili študenti drugega in tretjega letnika ter absolventi študijskega programa babištva na Zdravstveni fakulteti Univerze v Ljubljani. Izvedena je bila osnovna deskriptivna statistika. Rezultati: Najpogostejši občutki, ki so jih študentje doživljali ob prvem stiku s klinično prakso v porodnem bloku, so bili neizkušenost, razdvojenost med teorijo in prakso ter stres. Pokazalo se je, da na doživljanje občutij statistično pomembna vpliva predhodna srednješolska izobrazba. Med študenti, ki so predhodno obiskovali nezdravstvene srednje šole, je bilo statistično pomembno več takih, ki so imeli občutek nesprejetosti v klinično okolje (92 %, bivši dijaki zdravstvenih srednjih šol: 79 %), prav tako jih je več zaznalo razkorak med teorijo in prakso (79 %, bivši dijaki zdravstvenih srednjih šol: 64 %). Večji občutek neizkušenosti in posledično strahu, da bi škodovali pacientu, pa so imeli študentje s predhodno zdravstveno srednješolsko izobrazbo (82 %, bivši dijaki nezdravstvenih srednjih šol: 62 %). Diskusija in zaključek: V kolikor se med prvo klinično prakso pojavljajo občutki, kot so stres, strah in negotovost, lahko to ovira zmožnosti za učenje in samozavest. Potrebna bi bila izboljšava organizacije klinične prakse: pred prvo prakso bi bilo treba okrepiti študentova realna ričakovanja, med samo klinično prakso uvesti supervizijo s strani individualnega kliničnega mentorja ter po končani klinični praksi omogočiti študentovo refleksijo lastnih občutkov
Sex life during pregnancy Košec, Tamara; Jug Došler, Anita; Kusterle, Mateja ...
Obzornik zdravstvene nege,
12/2019, Volume:
53, Issue:
4
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Introduction: Pregnancy involves emotional and physiological changes, which affect the pregnant woman, her partner and their relationship. The sexuality of the couple changes with the onset of ...pregnancy compared to pre-pregnancy. The aim of the study was to investigate changes in the sex life of women during pregnancy.Methods: Quantitative research based on a questionnaire was carried out in August 2016 on a purposive sample of 685 women who had given birth at least once and women who were in the last trimester of pregnancy when completing the questionnaire. The data analysis included frequencies, percentages, mean values and independent samples t-test calculations.Results: The frequency of sexual intercourse decreased compared to the preconception period. The majority of women (43 %) included in the survey stated that their sexual desire declined during pregnancy. The most common factors that hindered women's sexual activity were fatigue and the feeling of awkwardness.Discussion and conclusion: Psychophysical changes in a pregnant woman may affect the couple's sexuality to a greater or lesser extent, which may in turn affect their relationship. It is therefore crucial that couples be offered quality counseling on sex life by appropriate institutions and programmes.
Uvod: Mednarodne raziskave kažejo, da približno 10 % očetov kaže znake poporodne depresije v obdobju od štirih do šestih mesecev po rojstvu novorojenca. Namen raziskave je bil ugotoviti, ali prevod ...in priredba Edinburške lestvice poporodne depresije nudi zanesljiv presejalni test za odkrivanje poporodne depresije pri novih očetih. Metode: Izvedena je bila kvantitativna raziskava. S prilagojeno prevedeno Edinburško lestvico poporodne depresije so bili anketirani očetje ob patronažnem obisku 4–6 mesecev po rojstvu otroka. Zajeti so bili vsi primerni kandidati v zdravstvenih domovih v Velenju in Črnučah v Ljubljani, in sicer med avgustom in decembrom 2019 (n = 80), realizacija vzorca je bila 51 (63 %). Koeficient Cronbach alfa za je znašal 0,931. Za analizo podatkov je bil uporabljen hi-kvadrat test. Rezultati: Osem anketirancev (15,7 %) je zbralo dvanajst ali več točk in so zato bili ogroženi za razvoj poporodne depresije. Nihče od anketiranih ni poročal o misli ali namerah o samomoru. Povprečno število doseženih točk je bilo 6,76 (s = 3,99). Najvišje število zbranih točk je bilo 16, zbral jih je en anketiranec (n = 1, 1,96 %). Diskusija in zaključek: Kljub majhnemu vzorcu, ki onemogoča posplošitev rezultatov, se v pilotni raziskavi ugotavlja podoben delež za poporodno depresijo rizičnih očetov kot v tujih raziskavah. Smiselno je torej obravnavati tudi duševno dobrobit očetov v prvem poporodnem letu, saj lahko stiska enega od partnerjev vpliva na celotno družino.
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