Clinical outcomes and women’s decision making in Brazilian birth centres

The Centre for Maternal and Child Health Research at the School of Health Science, City, University of London welcomes Dr. Nathalie Leister to discuss their finding on the research Clinical outcomes and women’s decision making in Brazilian birth centres as part of the research seminar series.

Abstract

Since the early 1990s, government policy in Brazil has promoted birth centres and midwifery led care in order to improve the way women give birth. There is scientific evidence that Midwifery Units offer births with fewer interventions, provide safe care for the mother and baby, have better maternal and perinatal outcomes, reduce caesarean rates, improve women's satisfaction and are more cost effective than obstetric units. However, most health services still offer obstetric units as the primary place to give birth. It is important to show the optimum maternal and perinatal outcomes in Midwifery Units, as well as explore the reasons for the majority of women with uncomplicated pregnancies give birth in obstetric units when there is no clinical indication and what are the reasons for choosing this environment against the evidence on places of birth.

About the speaker

Nathalie is a midwife from Brazil, had Master and PhD in Sciences. She is currently conducting researches on the configuration, functioning, care provided, and outcomes of birth centres in Brazil in order to contribute to the dissemination of information about the places with midwifery-led care and to improve public policies for the regulation of Birthcentres. In the last two years, together with Prof. Christine McCourt, she is conducting an ethnographic case study to understand the complexity of social processes on decision-making related to the universe of meanings, reasons, beliefs, values and attitudes that influence the birthplace choice.

A light lunch with refreshments will be provided. Further information and event timings can be found on our website.