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Understanding the social organisation of maternity care systems: midwifery as a touchstone
Author(s) -
Benoit Cecilia,
Wrede Sirpa,
Bourgeault Ivy,
Sandall Jane,
Vries Raymond De,
Teijlingen Edwin R. van
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
sociology of health and illness
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1467-9566
pISSN - 0141-9889
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9566.2005.00471.x
Subject(s) - division of labour , maternity care , negotiation , health care , diversity (politics) , welfare , politics , nursing , sociology , welfare state , political science , obstetrics , medicine , law , social science
Theories of professions and healthcare organisation have difficulty in explaining variation in the organisation of maternity services across developed welfare states. Four countries – the United Kingdom, Finland, the Netherlands and Canada – serve as our case examples. While sharing several features, including political and economic systems, publicly‐funded universal healthcare and favourable health outcomes, these countries nevertheless have distinct maternity care systems. We use the profession of midwifery, found in all four countries, as a ‘touchstone’ for exploring the sources of this diversity. Our analysis focuses on three key dimensions: (1) welfare state approaches to legalising midwifery and negotiating the role of the midwife in the division of labour; (2) professional boundaries in the maternity care domain; and (3) consumer mobilisation in support of midwifery and around maternity issues.