Placental birth : a history : thesis submitted to Massey University of Palmerston North in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Midwifery
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Date
2012
DOI
Open Access Location
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Massey University
Rights
The Author
Abstract
This
mixed
method
historical
research
uses
both
written
material
and
topical
oral
history
interviewswith
medical
and
midwifery
practitioners,
to
offer
a
signal
contribution
to
midwifery
knowledge.
It
fills
a
void
in
midwifery
history
concerning
the
management
of
the
birth
of
the
placenta.
Because
placental
birth
is
not
a
discrete
entity
but
is
part
of
the
birth
continuum,
the
research
has
also
contributed
to
the
historical
knowledge
of
birth
in
seventeenth
and
eighteenth
century
Britain
and
Europe
and
Maori
birthing
prior
to
European
settlement.
It
also
illuminates
birthing
practices
and
their
contexts
for
both
Maori
and
European
from
the
early
nineteenth
century
to
the
present
day.
In
the
early
years
of
the
twentieth
century
a
‘cause
and
effect’
cycle
of
three
synergistic
and
catalytic
factors,
medicalisation,
hospitalisation
and
nursification
produced
clinical
and
political
changes
that
created
a
weave
into
which
changes
to
the
management
of
the
birth
of
the
placenta
could
be
woven.
It
took
time
for
modern
midwives
practising
alternative
birthing
to
unlearn
their
medicalised
training
and
regain
their
trust
in
women’s
ability
to
birth.
The
reintroduction
of
midwifery
autonomy
and
the
passing
of
legislation
concerning
consumer
choice
and
consent
in
health
care
facilitated
the
introduction
of
alternative
midwifery
practices
into
hospitals,
exposing
more
midwives
and
doctors
to
physiological
placental
birth.
A
theoretical
model
based
on
comparative
obstetrics
and
reproductive
physiology
was
used
to
analyse
the
management
of
placental
birth
over
time,
and
in
the
varying
contexts
studied.
This
model
is
offered
as
a
tool
for
clinical
decision-‐making,
and
for
educating
women
and
maternity
practitioners
in
facilitating
the
birth
of
the
placenta.
This
New
Zealand
research
supports
the
use
of
physiological
placental
birth,
in
well
women
having
normal
pregnancies
and
labours,
as
safe
and
beneficial
to
women
and
their
babies.
Description
Keywords
Placenta, Natural childbirth, Birthing customs, Midwifery, Childbirth management