Introduction

A comprehensive review has indicated that midwives who caseload have a critical role in facilitating positive birth experiences and improving the mental health of mothers and newborns. This blog will look at the value and advantages of this approach.

What is a caseload midwife?

In many parts of the world midwives are the primary care provider for low-risk pregnancy and labour (Koblinsky et al, 2006). However, there are notable differences in how midwifery services are organised, in addition to differences in midwives’ training and duties (WHO, 2006).

Physicians are primarily in charge of providing healthcare for most women who are pregnant in some nations, such as the United Arab Emirates and North America. In contrast, a variety of care models, including as shared care, medical-led, and midwifery-led, are available in Western European and UK. Because of this variation, pregnant women frequently have different opinions about which care strategy is best for them.

In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the benefits of case-loading midwives, a model of care that emphasizes on continuity of care and personalized support. Women who receive ongoing care from a single midwife are more likely to have a positive birthing experience (Bohren,2017) with 90 per cent of satisfaction rate in a recent study (RCM, 2017). Case loading midwife was also associated with a significant low rate of medical interventions during childbirth with a15 per cent lower likelihood of caesarean section compared to standard care models and a 20 per cent decrease in the incidence of episiotomies (Allen et al, 2012). They also play a pivotal role on having a positive impact on women’s mental health and wellbeing by supporting women emotionally and preventing isolation. We cannot also deny the economic advantages as case loading model has been identify being cost-effective by reducing hospital readmission by 25 per cent extending their support not only to mothers but newborn wellbeing as women has a 20 per cent higher likelihood of initiating breastfeeding within the first hour after birth. The same study indicates 15 per cent increase in the likelihood of sustained breastfeeding at three months postpartum. (Ryan et al, 2013)

Conclusion

All the statistics have shown that case-loading midwives provide a holistic and personalised approach to women, resulting in improved in maternal and baby’s outcomes. Having a familiar face throughout the pregnancy journey contributes to reduced stress, anxiety, postnatal depression, fostering positive birth experiences, and building healthier communities.

Reference

  • Allen M, Thornton S. Providing one-to-one care in labour. Analysis of ‘Birth ratePlus’ labour ward staffing in real and simulated labour ward environments. BJOG 2012; DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2012.03483.x.
  • Bohren MA HG, Sakala C, Fukuzawa RK, Cuthbert A., . Continuous support for women during childbirth. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2017; (7).
  • Devane D BM, Begley C, Clarke M, Walsh D, Sandall J, Ryan P, Revill P, Normand C. . A systematic review, meta-analysis, meta-synthesis and economic analysis of midwife-led models of care. Royal College of Midwives: London, 2010.
  • Evidence summary: ‘The contribution of continuity of carer’, Sandall J, 2017, RCM, https://www.rcm.org.uk/sites/default/files/Continuity of Care A5
  • Koblinsky M, Z Matthews, J Hussein, D Mavalankar, MK Mridha, I Anwar, E Achadi, S Adjei…
    The Lancet, 2006
  • Ryan P, Revill, P, Devane, D,Normand,C, An assessment of the cost-effectiveness of midwifeled care in the United Kingdom. Midwifery 2013; 29(4): 368-376.

Hani Mohamed, Specialist Diabetes Midwife

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