A midwife in Italy

Abstract

Introduction. Midwifery is one of the world’s oldest professions. Midwives are found in every corner of the world but the scope of their professional expertise may differ in various countries. Although there are numerous documents listing the midwife’s essential competencies, these professionals have to cope with various problems trying to upgrade their skills. A great example of that struggle could be found in Italy. This is one of the countries where midwives keep on fighting for autonomy. Theoretically, an Italian midwife is an independent health care employee, holding a university diploma and a license. In practice, most midwifes work only in hospitals. Italy is a country with the highest rate of caesarean sections in the European Union. In 2013, the rate was 36.3%. The obstetric care is dominated by gynecologists, whilst only some 3% of pregnancies is handled by midwives. This is due to the poor organization of medical care. After all, the role of a midwife is important in making the childbirth more humanized. There are some actual similarities between the professional situation of a nurse in Italy and Poland. They face similar problems when it comes to the implementation of their activities. Aim. The aim of the study was to discuss the position of midwives in Italy, with special attention paid to the legal standards, the education system and the professional independence.