Midwifery--the turning point?
This paper endeavours to respond to suggestions about the 'fate' of midwifery in Australia and to provide stimulus for further discourse and analysis about where and how midwifery is going and growing, now and in the future. The tone is set as one of optimism and self-determination, as midwifery evolves within its history in Australia and finds and affirms, its own way from nursing and medico-obstetrics its own genre with women, and its own unique heritage. It is argued that only with a self-determined commitment to the integrity of midwifery and of women (seeing the two as inseparable if we truly are with women). Will we as midwives be able to transcend notions of dependence, control, submission, and competitiveness among others. The writer has specifically chosen to present this paper without references to make clear the content of the response without the camouflage of other writers. It is hoped this paper may provoke other midwives to examine and debate their perspectives and ideas.
Hancock
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D001315:Australia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009721:Nurse Midwives / Q000193:education / Q000639:trends*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014930:Women