How does the knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the uterus inform midwifery practice in the postnatal period?
The researcher seeks to inform the reader information based on the anatomy and physiology of the uterus and how it informs midwifery practice during the postnatal period, whilst providing an outline of other structures of the female reproductive system and their functions. The essay will also provide information and knowledge relating to Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Royal College of Midwives (RCM) and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. It will also provide awareness based on the importance of midwives fully understanding their roles and responsibilities. Due to word limit constraints this essay will focus solely on normality throughout.
The female reproductive system consists of the fallopian tubes, uterus, vagina, ovaries, vulva, breasts and mammary glands. These organs and structures give women the capability to produce gametes and sex hormones and provide a situate for the fetus to grow and develop.
The uterus is a hollow muscular organ that lies between the bladder and the rectum, it contains three parts; the fundus, the cervix and the body. The walls of the uterus are composed of three layers of tissue; the perimetreum, the myometrium and the endometrium. It is a pear shaped organ and approximately 3.0 cm in length, 4.5cm wide and 3.0cm thick, it can be divided anatomically into four sections: the fundus, the
This means recognizing each woman’s social, emotional, physical, spiritual and cultural needs. It also acknowledge that a woman and her newborn baby does not exist independently of the woman’s social and emotional environment. This includes incorporating an understanding in assessment and provision of health care (Yanti et al., 2015). The fundamental principles of women-centred care ensures a focus on pregnancy and childbirth as the start of family life, not just as isolated clinical episodes. These motherhood phases take into complete account the meaning and the values of each woman. Providing women centred care helps women make an informed choices, being involved in and having control over their own care, this also includes their relationship with their midwives (Johnson et al., 2003). This demonstrates that midwives are able to attend for women during pregnancy, childbirth and in early parenting years. In addition to this, midwives also provide education for women in order to have a healthy lifestyle (Woods et al.,
The ANMC states that midwives should promote safe and effective practice. This competency standard involves: Applying knowledge, skills and attitudes to enable woman centred care, provide or support midwifery continuity of care and manage the midwifery care of women and their babies. Midwives providing continuity of care are able to provide safe and effective practice. They know there patients well from the woman’s blood test results to the woman’s birth plan. The midwife can provide safe and effective practice because she knows the woman best. Midwifery Continuity of care is associated with a reduction in the rate of a number of interventions, without compromising safety of care (Spiby &
Giving birth to a baby is the most amazing and miraculous experiences for parents and their loved ones. Every woman’s birth story is different and full of joy. Furthermore, the process from the moment a woman knows that she’s pregnant to being in the delivering room is very critical to both her and the newborn baby. Prenatal care is extremely important and it can impact greatly the quality of life of the baby. In this paper, the topic of giving birth will be discussed thoroughly by describing the stories of two mothers who gave birth in different decades and see how their prenatal cares are different from each other with correlation of the advancement of modern medicine between four decades.
In the fetal pig, the heart was enclosed in a pericardial cavity, with the right and left lungs on each side of it (Freeman, et. al). The mediastinum, which includes the pericardium, the esophagus, the trachea, and other structures separates the thoracic cavity into right and left sides (Field, pg. 11). The muscular diaphragm separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominal pelvic cavity, where the digestive and urinary systems are located (Field p. 11). As we worked through the dissection we were able to observe each organ system individually and look deeper into all of the anatomical structures that play a role in its function.
The assignment will be written in the style of the British Journal of Midwifery (BJM), the abstract is incorporated into this introduction and Harvard 2014 will be used for the referencing style.
For hundred of years, women have wrestled with their womanhood, bodies, and what it means to be a woman in our society. Being a woman comes with a wonderful and empowering responsibility--giving birth. What sets us aside from other countries is that the process and expectations of giving birth has changed in our society; coming from midwifery, as it has always been since the early times, to hospitals where it is now expected to give birth at. Midwifery was a common practice in delivering babies in
[T]he female body is a reservoir, a virgin patch of still, pooled water where the fetus comes to term. (Paglia p.27)
The Female Reproductive System structures are the egg / ovum. Its created and stored inside the ovaries. The vagina is an elastic, muscular tube that connects the cervix of the uterus to the exterior of the body. The uterus is a hollow, muscular, pear-shaped organ located posterior and superior to urinary bladder. The Fallopian tubes are a pair of muscular tubes that extends from the left and right superior corners of the uterus to the edge of the ovaries. The ovaries are a pair of small glands about the size
Endometriosis affects 10% of reproductive-age women (Yale School of Medicine). It affects nearly 176 million women, ranging from 15-49, all over the world (World Endometriosis, 2011). “Endometriosis is an often painful disorder in which tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus — the endometrium — grows outside your uterus (endometrial implant) (Mayo Clinic, 2013)” It most commonly involves your ovaries and the lining of the pelvis, but in extreme cases can spread to other parts of the body. The displaced tissue continues to act like it normally would in the uterus, thickening and breaking down with each menstrual cycle. Since the displaced tissue has nowhere to go, it becomes trapped with no way to get out (Mayo Clinic, 2013).
This is the beginning of the mother’s involvement with the midwife. This is an opportunity for both parties to establish a personal relationship, partnership. This is where education exchange can occur, recognition of responsibilities, options and choices are determined which are supported and discussed with the mother and her supporters. (Pairman, 2010, pg. 431-432)
Providing continuous physical and emotional support during labour can reducing maternal fear, stress, and anxiety and protect physiological birth (Steen, 2012). Research shows that fear and anxiety during labour and birth can be detrimental to physiological birth. An environment that women feel unsafe in may stimulate a surge of neuro-hormones that can influence both fetal and maternal physiology, causing irregularity of contractions, fetal distress and subsequent medical inteverntions (Fahy & Parratt, 2006). Conversly, maintaining an environment where women feel safe, protected and supported can facilitate favourable physiological performance (Fahy & Parratt, 2006). Midwives can do this by giving women one-on-one continuous support and placing her at the centre of care throughout childbirth (Steen, 2012). As observed in practice, by constantly reassuring the woman about her progress, her baby’s health and addressing any of her concerns, the midwife can provide a calm and relaxing environment that is conducive to the labouring woman (Buckley, 2015; Steen, 2012). The midwife worked with the woman, encouraging her throughout labour and birth by telling her that she was doing extremely well. The midwife also breathed in-tune with the woman while giving her a back massage, inducing a sense of comfort. The atmosphere was calm and this contributed to the woman garnering confidence in her ability to avoid medical pain relief. Downe (2008) noted that the positive impact of
The system is comprised of a variety of different parts. The first part is the ovaries. The ovaries contain thousands of immature ova at first that eventually mature during puberty. The ovaries produce estrogen and progesterone which allow the ova to mature. Next are the fallopian tubes. They are tubes that carry the ova from the ovaries to the uterus. The uterus is a pear shaped organ. It shelters and nourishes a developing baby, or fetus. The endometrial lines the uterus. It thickens during pregnancy. The opening of the uterus is the cervix. The vagina is the muscular passage from the uterus to the outside of the body. It serves as a passing place for menstrual fluid and other discharge.
Uterine Fibroids are non-cancerous growths that develops in the myometrium layer of the uterus. A single cell divides repeatedly, eventually creating a firm, rubbery mass distinct from nearby tissue (EA, 2013). There are different types of growth patterns to uterine fibroids. Sometimes they are small and in some cases they are extremely large. Woman between the ages of 30-and 40 years old are more at risk of developing uterine fibroids. They develop mostly in the child bearing years of a woman’s life. African American women have a greater risk of developing uterine fibroids at a younger age than any other race. Uterine fibroids are also called leiomyomas or myomas. Uterine Fibroids can develop on the inside or outside of the uterus.
This essay will first describe partnership and how a midwife working in the continuity of care model develops and maintains it. Secondly, this essay will describe what a postnatal abdominal palpation is, why it is done and what the outcomes may be. It will also describe the anatomy and physiology of a uterus and involution. Lastly, a description of how the assessment is conducted and how during this partnership and cultural safety is maintained by the midwife.
Hearing the word midwife leaves many people thinking of unprofessional, inexperienced women who help deliver babies naturally, without the help of medication. In truth, nurse-midwives are registered nurses who have attended additional schooling for women’s health and are taught to make women feel as comfortable as possible. In the beginning, remedies were the females’ legacies, their “birthright”; these females were known as “wise-women by the people, witches of charlatans by authorities”. (Ehrenreich, 1973). “Females were wanderers, traveling from one place to another, healing the sick and wounded.” (Ehrenreich 1973). These women were among the first human healers and they were especially helpful when it came to childbearing. The midwives