Models for midwifery care: A mapping review

Tine S Eri; Marie Berg; Bente Dahl; Helga Gottfreðsdóttir; Eva Sommerseth; Christina Prinds

doi:10.18332/ejm/124110

Models for midwifery care: A mapping review

Eur J Midwifery. 2020 Jul 30:4:30. doi: 10.18332/ejm/124110. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Tine S Eri¹, Marie Berg^{2

3}, Bente Dahl⁴, Helga Gottfreðsdóttir^{5

6}, Eva Sommerseth⁴, Christina Prinds^{7

8}

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway.
² Sahlgrenska Academy, Institute of Health and Care Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
³ The Obstretic Unit, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
⁴ Centre for Women's, Family and Child Health, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, University of South-Eastern Norway, Kongsberg, Norway.
⁵ Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland.
⁶ Women´s Clinic, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavík, Iceland.
⁷ Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense C, Denmark.
⁸ Department of Research, University College South Denmark, Haderslev, Denmark.

Abstract

Introduction: According to WHO, midwives are found competent to provide evidencebased and normalcy-facilitating maternity care. Models for midwifery care exist, but seem to be lacking explicit epistemological status, mainly focusing on the practical and organizational level of care delivery. To make the values and attitudes of care visible, it is important to implement care models with explicit epistemological status. The aim of this paper is to identify and gain an overview of publications of theoretical models for midwifery care.

Methods: A mapping review was conducted with systematic searches in nine databases for studies describing a theoretical model or theory for midwifery care that either did or was intended to impact clinical practice. Eligibility criteria were refined during the selection process.

Results: Six models from six papers originating from different parts of the world were included in the study. The included models were developed using different methodologies and had different philosophical underpinnings and complexity gradients. Some characteristics were common, the most distinctive being the emphasis of the midwife-woman relationship, secondly the focus on woman-centeredness, and thirdly the salutogenic focus in care.

Conclusions: Overall, scarcity exists regarding theoretical models for midwifery care with explicit epistemological status. Further research is needed in order to develop generic theoretical models with an epistemological status to serve as a knowledge base for midwifery healthcare.

Keywords: maternity care; midwifery; models for care; philosophy; salutogenesis; woman-centeredness.

Publication types

Review