Bringing two worlds together: exploring the integration of traditional midwives as doulas in Mexican public hospitals.
Integrating traditional midwives (TMs) as labor support in cline-based care may be an ideal solution to improving maternity services in the Mexico and worldwide. We conducted interviews and focus groups with 65 TMs and 24 interviews with public health system personnel to assess the acceptability and challenges of this proposal. Both TMs and personnel perceive this new role as having professional benefits. Challenges include TMs' and clinic personnel's previous negative experience with one another and unfamiliarity with the doula role. Interactive trainings introducing the doula role and improving professional relations between TMs and personnel are necessary to assure success of this proposal.
Smid
Marcela
M
School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.
Campero
Lourdes
L
Cragin
Leslie
L
Gonzalez Hernandez
Dolores
D
Walker
Dilys
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006287:Health Planning Guidelines; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D055048:Integrative Medicine; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D008880:Midwifery / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D024382:Professional Role; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012456:Salaries and Fringe Benefits; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires