Women’s knowledge and preferences for midwife’s role within the range of maternal care professionals in Makkah, Saudi Arabia

Background:The midwife plays a critical role in health counselling and education,not just for women but also for their families and communities.At the current time,with the growth of the midwifery workforce globally,there is still a lack of understanding regarding the full scope and role of the midwife.Aim:To evaluate the current situation of knowledge of midwives’role among women in Makkah.In addition,this study identifies the effect of women’s knowledge on their preferences for receiving maternity care from health professionals.Methods:This study employed a descriptive quantitative cross-sectional method.The total resultant sample size(N)equalled 379 global respondents,of which 306,with a response rate=of 80.73%completed the entire survey as requested.An electronic questionnaire in the Arabic language was used in this study.Results:Results revealed that most women had incorrect knowledge regarding three aspects of the midwives’roles during pregnancy 53.9%,labour 52.8%and childbirth 61.9%.Also,results presented that most women preferred obstetricians to follow up on an uncomplicated pregnancy,labour,childbirth,and maternity care 69.6%,53.9%,64.7%and 46.1%,respectively.The study found that the women’s knowledge about midwives’roles affects their preferences for healthcare professionals in receiving maternity care(P<0.05).Conclusion:Responses showed that most participants had no experience and had negative views about midwives’roles.Thus,it would affect their health professionals’preferences for receiving maternity care.Therefore,midwifery services and maternity care professionals should prioritize educating women about midwives’competencies in maternity care.

Women's awareness of the role of midwifes and their preference for health professionals for maternity care: a systematic review

Objective:Several studies have shown that women are more satisfied with midwife-led care.However,their awareness regarding the midwives’roles was inadequate.The effect of the women’s awareness on their preferences for maternity care from health professionals has not been understood.To identify research findings presenting women’s awareness of midwives’roles and preferences for receiving maternity care from health professionals.Methods:The systematic literature review used various electronic search engines,including SCOPUS,PubMed,ScienceDirect,and Cochrane Library.Also,other grey literature sources,including Google Scholar,were utilized to identify articles.The search included only English language articles published between 2017-2021.Results:This search provided 20 studies that fulfil the inclusion criteria and are relevant to the Population,Intervention,Comparison,and Outcomes question.The knowledge of midwives’role among the public is well studied in the literature,and few papers(4 studies)focused on women’s perceptions.The review of existing literature indicated the midwifery workforce in Arab countries like Saudi Arabia,the impact of midwives’role on maternal and child health outcomes,women’s experiences regarding midwife-led care,women’s knowledge and perception regarding the role of the midwife in maternal care,and the womens’preference for midwifes’role within the range of maternal care professionals.Conclusion:The review found a lack of awareness and knowledge among the public about the midwife’s role,particularly among women.According to evidence,women’s preferences for choosing health professionals for maternity care primarily depend on being informed about their care,being given care options,and the health professionals’comprehension of their particular care needs.