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A woman with special needs in maternity care in cooperation with a midwife and an occupational therapist: building up the subject in Tallinn Health Care College in Curriculum of Midwifery
 
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1
Curriculum of Midwifery, Tallinn Health Care College, Tallinn, Estonia
 
2
West –Tallinn Central Hospital, Tallinn, Estonia
 
3
Curriculum of Occupational Therapist, Tallinn Health Care College, Tallinn, Estonia
 
 
Publication date: 2023-10-24
 
 
Corresponding author
Kristina Krivats-Arba   

Curriculum of Midwifery, Tallinn Health Care College, Tallinn, Estonia
 
 
Eur J Midwifery 2023;7(Supplement 1):A125
 
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
Disability is part of being human. Almost everyone will temporarily or permanently experience disability at some point in their life1. Being a mother is a human right and an experience that many women desire regardless of their health status. However, for women with special needs, this experience can be a major social and health challenge in addition to a normal life change2. Women with disabilities are more likely to miss out on the maternity care services they need because access to healthcare facilities is difficult. Women with disabilities can only choose between service providers whose facilities are accessible, this limits women's freedom of decision to choose a healthcare professional that suits them3. Often women with disabilities perceive that they are not sufficiently socially accepted and are not treated equally with able-bodied women in relation to pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood4. The midwifery guidelines in force in Estonia state that the midwife's task is to support a woman during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period and throughout her life in matters of reproductive health. A midwife's job is to deal sensitively with patients with special needs and act accordingly5. In order to ensure comprehensive maternity care for a woman with special needs, it is necessary to start teaching midwifery students in cooperation with a midwife and an occupational therapist.

Aim:
Is to build up the subject in Tallinn Health Care College in Curriculum of Midwifery for woman for special needs in maternity care in cooperation with a midwife and an occupational therapist.

Methods:
The subject was developed based on literature reviews and current guidelines.

Results:
In cooperation with midwives and occupational therapists, the subject "Women with special needs in maternity care" was created. The volume of the subject is 3 ECTS and it includes an introduction to different special needs and the understanding and support of the special needs arising from them. An important place is empathic support for the woman and family members, teaching the use of personally adapted aids both during pregnancy and in the postpartum period. The cooperation between a midwife and an occupational therapist teaches a midwife student to find the best possible way to offer comprehensive maternity care to a woman with special needs.

Conclusion:
Teaching according to the topic enables the future midwife in cooperation with occupational therapists to ensure high-quality maternity care for a woman with special needs and her family.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
FUNDING
The study has not received financial support or funding.
REFERENCES (5)
1.
World Health Organization. Disability. Published 2023. https://www.who.int/health-top...
 
2.
Merits M, Lubi K, Aavik A. (2022). Liikumispuudega naiste raseduse, sünnituse ja sünnitusjärgse aja kogemused ning väljakutsed. Sotsiaaltöö. 2022;2:79-89. https://www.tai.ee/et/sotsiaal...
 
3.
König-Bachmann M, Zenzmaier C, Schildberger B. Health professionals' views on maternity care for women with physical disabilities: a qualitative study. BMC Health Serv Res. 2019;19(1):551. doi:10.1186/s12913-019-4380-y
 
4.
Schildberger B, Zenzmaier C, König-Bachmann M. Experiences of Austrian mothers with mobility or sensory impairments during pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium: a qualitative study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2017;17(1):201. doi:10.1186/s12884-017-1388-3
 
5.
Vaas P, Rull K, Põllumaa S, Kirss A, Meigas D. Raseduse jälgimise juhend. Eesti Naistearstide Selts: Tallinn; 2018. https://rasedajalgimine.weebly...
 
eISSN:2585-2906
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