Table 7 Barriers to Establishing midwives’ role in acute early pregnancy care in Australia
Potential barriers for midwives | Frequency n (%#) |
|---|---|
Lack of clinical experience and exposure in AEPC settings as qualified midwife | 106 (36.1) |
Placing women with AEP concerns < 20 weeks in a non-maternity setting | 87 (29.6) |
Lack of opportunity for midwives to be employed in settings that provide AEPC | 83 (28.2) |
Uncertainty regarding midwives’ scope in this area of pregnancy care | 75 (25.5) |
This area of pregnancy care is not prioritised by HSP/my employer | 53 (18.0) |
This area of pregnancy care is not prioritised by the midwifery profession | 52 (17.7) |
Lack of clinical exposure and experience in AEPC settings as a midwifery student | 52 (17.7) |
Lack of education as a midwifery student regarding AEPC | 52 (17.7) |
Uncertainty regarding whether midwives are responsible for acute care < 20 weeks | 52 (17.7) |
Staffing or workload constraints e.g., redirection of midwives to women > 20 weeks | 52 (17.7) |
Lack of individual knowledge or comfort to provide AEPC | 45 (15.3) |
Specialised AEP services are not available in many locations | 42 (14.3) |
Other | 20 (6.8) |