• Korean Parent-Child Health Journal
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.67-80
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• 2000

This study was described as midwife's role and obstacle of midwife's role expansion. Midwife as primary medical personal who practices for a mother and infant health care and promotion of mother infant interaction. As the trend of increasing natural childbirth, midwifery has to provide childbearing care those who want delivery in a midwifery center. This study conducted to survey for 44 midwives who work at the midwifery center. The results of the study as fellows. 1. Most of the midwives role was care of pregnancy, delivery, postpartum women and babies. Another role was conducted educational classes childbirth, breast feeding, contraception and sexual education. 2. Some midwives role perform breech, vaccum delivery, episiotomy and suture, pitocin induction and augmentation, ultrasonogram, giving medication, anesthesia, collecting specimen from Pap smear and vaginal discharge. Midwife perform these roles without medical law support. 3. Most of the obstacles of the midwife role was the medical law limitation. Midwives want revise medical law to perform simple treatment for childbearing women and babies. 4. Half of the midwives refer cases to medical doctor in case of complication of women and newborns. 5. Current frequency of home birth rate is slightly higher than before and me cases like to have delivery under water. Finally, midwife and midwifery have to prepare to meet childbearing woman, baby and family's need. For activation and expansion of midwife's role, every midwife has to be aware of medical law accurately and they must know what practice they can do and what practice they can not do.