Article Text
PDF
Abstract
Background Pregnancy offers an opportunity to provide equitable access to contraception information and provision, and professional bodies advocate provision of contraception in the immediate postpartum period. This study examines the contribution of pre-registration midwifery education in preparing student midwives for this aspect of their role.
Method A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Nine lecturers from pre-registration midwifery programmes representing nine universities in England were interviewed.
Results There is minimal contraception and sexual health content on pre-registration midwifery programmes; however, specialist lecturers enhance the learning experience. Talking about sex may be difficult, particularly for younger students. Student midwives observe little discussion/provision of contraception in practice and are unlikely to consider it part of a midwife’s role.
Conclusions A formally assessed national standard of knowledge on pre-registration programmes would be helpful, and this needs to be reflected in practice to become embedded. Institutional investment and commitment to continuous practice development is needed for all midwives. Practice placements in sexual and reproductive health clinics or abortion services may be beneficial to student midwives.
- Contraception, Immunologic
- health education
Data availability statement
Data are available upon reasonable request.
Statistics from Altmetric.com
Data availability statement
Data are available upon reasonable request.
Footnotes
X @ewsmullins
Contributors CC conceived the study, conducted the interviews, conducted thematic analysis and wrote the first draft of the paper. GM, LR and EM provided critical review and editing of the paper. CC is responsible for overall content as guarantor.
Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Competing interests None declared.
Patient and public involvement Patients and/or the public were not involved in the design, or conduct, or reporting, or dissemination plans of this research.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
Supplemental material This content has been supplied by the author(s). It has not been vetted by BMJ Publishing Group Limited (BMJ) and may not have been peer-reviewed. Any opinions or recommendations discussed are solely those of the author(s) and are not endorsed by BMJ. BMJ disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on the content. Where the content includes any translated material, BMJ does not warrant the accuracy and reliability of the translations (including but not limited to local regulations, clinical guidelines, terminology, drug names and drug dosages), and is not responsible for any error and/or omissions arising from translation and adaptation or otherwise.