Sexology In Midwifery

Midwives support women during the reproductive period of their lives. Dimensions of midwifery work include, in addition to the physiological aspect, psychological and spiritual issues. Midwifery activities mean involvement in the most intimate sphere of clients' lives. Women's perceptions of partnership, sexuality, pregnancy and birth are affected by their personal experiences and by the culture they live in. The same factors also influence the midwives' perception of these issues. It is therefore crucial for the midwives to be aware of certain areas of their work that have a sexual inclination and clarify their own eventual prejudices regarding sexuality, since these can affect their provision of holistic, individual and competent care to women and their families. This book deals with different aspects of sexuality that can have an influence on everyday midwifery work. It might also be of interest to different groups of people - midwives in clinical settings, midwifery educators, midwifery students and also other health professionals who manage women during the reproductive period.

Midwives support women during the reproductive period of their lives. Dimensions of midwifery work include, in addition to the physiological aspect, psychological and spiritual issues. Midwifery activities mean involvement in the most intimate sphere of clients' lives. Women's perceptions of partnership, sexuality, pregnancy and birth are affected by their personal experiences and by the culture they live in. The same factors also influence the midwives' perception of these issues. It is therefore crucial for the midwives to be aware of certain areas of their work that have a sexual inclination and clarify their own eventual prejudices regarding sexuality, since these can affect their provision of holistic, individual and competent care to women and their families. This book deals with different aspects of sexuality that can have an influence on everyday midwifery work. It might also be of interest to different groups of people - midwives in clinical settings, midwifery educators, midwifery students and also other health professionals who manage women during the reproductive period.

This first open-access book on midwifery and sexuality integrates sexual health into the care for the pregnant and postpartum couple. It addresses sexuality and intimacy from an education and prevention perspective instead of just focusing on treating problems, aiming to foster the development of sexual well-being and happy couplehood. Sexuality and intimacy are essential elements in the bonding of the couple and the parents-to-be. That process can be seriously hampered by sexual problems due to mutual misunderstanding, fear and sexual troubles (especially when the natural processes of conceiving, pregnancy and delivery are disturbed). In this phase of life, disruption of intimacy, sexuality and sexual relationship is a significant risk factor for developing couple and family problems. The need for such a book stems from the very limited attention given to this health area in the daily practice of most midwives and related healthcare professionals. In building a close relationship with the couple through frequent, intense, longstanding contact, the midwife acquires a perfect position to address sexuality and intimacy. With 36 authors from 14 countries, the book comprises five modules: 1. Sexuality; 2. Sexual aspects of the various phases of reproduction when things develop without complications; 3. Sexual aspects when those same phases deviate from physiology; 4. Special topics on sexuality relevant to daily midwifery practice; 5. Teaching, learning, skills and competencies with regard to sexuality. This new practical textbook guides healthcare professionals such as midwives, obstetricians, gynaecologists, nurses, general practitioners, pelvic floor therapists, etc., by offering both basic knowledge and skills on sexual health and wellbeing, combined with modern sexological knowledge, like the entirely new topic of sexual aspects of preconception care.

Provides a comprehensive examination of sexuality and its wealth of meanings in the lives of people with particular emphasis on the importance of such understanding to midwifery practice. The chapters look at the different meanings given to sexuality both personally and globally, the historical, cultural and social constructs of male and female sexuality, gender ascription and gender role stereotyping, theories of sexuality, physical aspects of sexuality through the life cycle, and the differences of erotic and non-erotic sexuality. Sexuality and the disabled mother and father and sexual practices and advice in pregnancy are also discussed.

This text examines sexual health from a range of perspectives. Issues examined include: politics and sexual relations; culture and ethnicity; midwifery and child health; mental health; paediatrics; purchasers and providers; sexuality and terminal care; and ethics and law.

Pregnant women and their partners often ask healthcare professionals whether sex is safe during pregnancy, and what consequences may result from sexual activity. Many clinicians can also be unsure of the answers to these type of questions, leading to both patient and clinician resorting to the internet for advice, which can be inaccurate and anxiety-inducing. Here, the authors provide clinicians with an insight into the information offered by 'Dr Google' so that they can reassure and advise their patients as necessary. Aimed at obstetricians and other physicians caring for pregnant women, this book reviews the implications of sex during pregnancy such as those complicated by medical conditions, those at risk of preterm birth and multiple pregnancies. Other chapters cover physiological changes during pregnancy that may affect sexual function and intimacy, as well as the differing guidelines provided by various global obstetric societies.

An expanded and updated new edition of Health Promotion in Midwifery, this book explores the principles of health promotion within the practical context of midwifery.