Antenatal Health Care and Public Health, Clinical Practice

The overall goal is that students, while taking a highly systematic and critical approach, will deepen and integrate their knowledge of sexual, reproductive and perinatal health from the perspective of the midwife profession, from research, and from practical action and activity during the monitoring of pregnancies, contraceptive counselling, and preventive health work within the midwife’s area of responsibility.

After completing the course, students shall, on a deeper level, be able to:

• critically reflect on the concepts, theories and perspectives that promote good health care in maternal health, with a focus on health promotion and preventive care,
• independently manage and monitor normal pregnancy, as well as document administered care in accordance with applicable regulations in dialogue with the woman and her relatives,
• identify deviations from normal pregnancy and identify specific needs for care and support,
• assess the need for information and parenting support, and provide education on and information about parental preparation, including breastfeeding, both to individuals and groups,
• independently carry out post-childbirth check-ups and demonstrate the ability to identify and nurture women and families in crisis situations,
• independently provide contraceptive counselling and information on appropriate methods of contraception in accordance with current legislation, recommendations and guidelines, and impose or apply appropriate methodology in dialogue with the woman, and document care in accordance with applicable regulations,
• assess needs and provide information in connection with involuntary pregnancy and gynecological infections, and perform gynecological examinations and take samples,
• identify, and, in dialogue, discuss solutions based on the individual needs of young people and women where cultural, environmental and psychosocial perspectives are taken into account,
• identify health problems or risk behaviour, and inform and, where needed, propose healthy lifestyle changes, actively initiate and create good care that has high standards of hygiene,
• critically analyze, evaluate, propose and follow up care actions and treatment of pregnancy monitoring, contraceptive counselling and midwifery preventive public health work, where cultural, environmental and psychosocial perspectives are taken into account,
• systematically manage, prioritize, allocate and coordinate care based on the woman’s needs and those of close relatives with support from evidence-based knowledge
• in a professional manner, collaborate in the care process within and between professional groups, organisations and health-care providers,
• demonstrate self-awareness in thought and action, and reflect on the personal professional development of midwives, including the student’s personal need for further knowledge.