Midwives' attitudes towards supporting normal labour and birth : a cross-sectional study in South Germany

Zinsser, Laura A.; Stoll, Kathrin; Gross, Mechthild Maria

doi:10.1016/j.midw.2016.05.006

Publication type:	Article in scientific journal
Type of review:	Peer review (publication)
Title:	Midwives' attitudes towards supporting normal labour and birth : a cross-sectional study in South Germany
Authors:	Zinsser, Laura A. Stoll, Kathrin Gross, Mechthild Maria
DOI:	10.1016/j.midw.2016.05.006
Published in:	Midwifery
Volume(Issue):	39
Page(s):	98
Pages to:	102
Issue Date:	2016
Publisher / Ed. Institution:	Elsevier
ISSN:	0266-6138 1532-3099
Language:	English
Subjects:	Setting; Birth; Support; Physiologic
Subject (DDC):	618.4: Childbirth
Abstract:	Objective: Supporting healthy and normal physiological birth is part of the global maternity care agenda. Rising rates of interventions have been attributed to several factors, including characteristics, attitudes and preferences of childbearing women and their care providers. In this paper, the application of a scale that measures midwives' attitudes towards supporting normal labour and birth is described as well as factors that are associated with favourable attitudes, such as general self-efficacy, years in midwifery practice, and primary practice setting. Design: In this cross-sectional study an online questionnaire was sent out via e-mail to midwives in two regions of South Germany. The questionnaire contained a validated general self-efficacy scale, a 38-item instrument that measures attitudes towards supporting normal birth among German midwives and questions about midwives' practice experiences and educational preparation. Findings: On average, participants (n=188) were 39 years old (SD=10.3), and had 12 years of experience caring for women during labour and birth (SD=9.6). Multivariate modelling revealed that higher general self-efficacy, working primarily in out-of-hospital settings and having provided intrapartum care for fewer years were significantly associated with midwives' favourable attitudes towards supporting physiological birth (variance explained R(2)=29.0%, n=184). General self-efficacy (1.4%) and years of work experience (3.3%) contributed less of the variance in the outcome than work setting (24.5%). Sources of knowledge about normal birth were not significantly associated with the outcome and reduced the overall variance explained by 0.2%. Conclusions: The study has shown that, compared to work setting, the general self-efficacy of German midwives, years providing intrapartum care and sources of knowledge about normal birth had comparatively little impact on their attitude towards supporting normal physiologic birth. Increasing exposure to out-of-hospital birth among German midwives throughout education and practice and fostering the skills and confidence necessary to support normal birth in hospital settings are important strategies to decrease unnecessary obstetric interventions.
URI:	https://digitalcollection.zhaw.ch/handle/11475/8083
Fulltext version:	Published version
License (according to publishing contract):	Licence according to publishing contract
Departement:	School of Health Sciences
Organisational Unit:	Institute of Midwifery and Reproductive Health (IHG)
Appears in collections:	Publikationen Gesundheit

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Zinsser, L. A., Stoll, K., & Gross, M. M. (2016). Midwives’ attitudes towards supporting normal labour and birth : a cross-sectional study in South Germany. Midwifery, 39, 98–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2016.05.006

Zinsser, L.A., Stoll, K. and Gross, M.M. (2016) ‘Midwives” attitudes towards supporting normal labour and birth : a cross-sectional study in South Germany’, Midwifery, 39, pp. 98–102. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2016.05.006.

L. A. Zinsser, K. Stoll, and M. M. Gross, “Midwives’ attitudes towards supporting normal labour and birth : a cross-sectional study in South Germany,” Midwifery, vol. 39, pp. 98–102, 2016, doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2016.05.006.

ZINSSER, Laura A., Kathrin STOLL und Mechthild Maria GROSS, 2016. Midwives‘ attitudes towards supporting normal labour and birth : a cross-sectional study in South Germany. Midwifery. 2016. Bd. 39, S. 98–102. DOI 10.1016/j.midw.2016.05.006

Zinsser, Laura A., Kathrin Stoll, and Mechthild Maria Gross. 2016. “Midwives’ Attitudes towards Supporting Normal Labour and Birth : A Cross-Sectional Study in South Germany.” Midwifery 39: 98–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2016.05.006.

Zinsser, Laura A., et al. “Midwives’ Attitudes towards Supporting Normal Labour and Birth : A Cross-Sectional Study in South Germany.” Midwifery, vol. 39, 2016, pp. 98–102, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2016.05.006.