title: Taxonomy for complexity theory in the context of maternity care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The linear focus of 'normal science' is unable to adequately take account of the complex interactions that direct health care systems. There is a turn towards complexity theory as a more appropriate framework for understanding system behaviour. However, a comprehensive taxonomy for complexity theory in the context of health care is lacking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This paper aims to build a taxonomy based on the key complexity theory components that have been used in publications on complexity theory and health care, and to explore their explanatory power for health care system behaviour, specifically for maternity care.
  
  
  METHODS
  A search strategy was devised in PubMed and 31 papers were identified as relevant for the taxonomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The final taxonomy for complexity theory included and defined 11 components. The use of waterbirth and the impact of the Term Breech trial showed that each of the components of our taxonomy has utility in helping to understand how these techniques became widely adopted. It is not just the components themselves that characterise a complex system but also the dynamics between them.
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Midwifery Science Maastricht, Zuyd University, P.O. Box 1256, 6201 BG Maastricht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: M.Nieuwenhuijze@av-m.nl.
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nieuwenhuijze
authors.affiliation: University of Central Lancashire, Brook Building BB223, Preston PR1 2HE, United Kingdom. Electronic address: sdowne@uclan.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Soo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Downe
authors.affiliation: Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing, University of Iceland, Eirberg, Eiríksgata 34, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland. Electronic address: helgagot@hi.is.
authors.forename: Helga
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gottfreðsdóttir
authors.affiliation: TNO, P.O. Box 3005, 2301 DA Leiden, The Netherlands. Electronic address: marlies.rijnders@tno.nl.
authors.forename: Marlies
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rijnders
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing Science, North West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2522, South Africa. Electronic address: Antoinette.DuPreez@nwu.ac.za.
authors.forename: Antoinette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: du Preez
authors.affiliation: DMUC - Department of Mathematics of the University of Coimbra, Apartado 3008, EC Santa Cruz, 3001 501 Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: pvaz@mat.uc.pt.
authors.forename: Piedade
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vaz Rebelo
mesh_terms: D001946:Breech Presentation / Q000145:classification* / Q000453:epidemiology; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000145:classification* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000145:classification*; D009321:Natural Childbirth / Q000145:classification* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water
keywords: Complex adaptive systems; Complexity theory; Health care systems; Maternity care; Taxonomy