What is the scope of midwifery practice in New Zealand?

The scope of midwifery practice in New Zealand encompasses providing care to healthy women throughout the entire perinatal period, which includes pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. This comprehensive approach reflects the ethos of midwifery in promoting the well-being of women before, during, and after childbirth, ensuring they receive holistic support tailored to their needs.

Midwives in New Zealand are trained to monitor the health of pregnant women and their unborn babies, offer education, assist during childbirth, and provide postpartum care to both the mother and the newborn. This extensive scope involves not just physical care, but also emotional and psychological support, empowering women to make informed decisions regarding their health and their childbirth experience.

In contrast, providing care only during childbirth or supporting newborns after birth does not align with the full scope of midwifery practice, which is much broader and includes prenatal and postnatal care. Similarly, the administration of medication is just one aspect of midwifery practice but does not encapsulate the holistic care that midwives provide throughout the entire perinatal spectrum.