Critiquing Contemporary Midwifery Practice - HEA00178M

«Back to module search

Module will run

Occurrence	Teaching period
A	Semester 1 2026-27

Module aims

• Critically explore complex, contemporary issues in midwifery and maternity care within local, regional, national and global contexts, using available data and materials at the forefront of relevant disciplines.
• Prepare students to confidently display clear and effective communication and presentation skills, articulating complex issues and imaginative resolutions to peers and specialist audiences.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students will be able to:
1. Display mastery of complex, contemporary issues in midwifery and maternity care using systematic and creative approaches.
2. Evidence critique, synthesis and analysis of evidence and thought at the forefront of the professional landscape, including in the absence of complete data.
3. Demonstrate conceptual understanding and make sound judgements to critically evaluate current
evidence and advanced scholarship within midwifery.
4. Demonstrate self direction and originality of thought, proposing new hypotheses and advancing
scholarship within midwifery.
5. Display mastery of effective communication skills to present to relevant specialist and non specialist
audiences and defend propositions/arguments.

Module content

Critical exploration of a range of contemporary issues from local, regional, national and global perspectives, encompassing policy, practice and education (e.g. clinical midwifery, maternity, infant feeding, health & social care). Issues encompass universal and additional care for women, newborn infants and families with complications; human rights of women and children; development of effective and engaging presentation skills; continued active engagement with, and demonstration of, the themes and learning outcomes of UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) University Standards.

Please see detailed mapping of this module to NMC (2019) Standards of proficiency for midwives for the programme.

Indicative assessment

Task	% of module mark
Oral presentation/seminar/exam	100.0

Special assessment rules

Non-compensatable

Indicative reassessment

Task	% of module mark
Oral presentation/seminar/exam	100.0

Module feedback

Written feedback for the summative assessment is provided on the standard proforma, within the timescale specified in the programme handbook.

Indicative reading

Brown, A. (2021). Better births: The midwife 'with woman'. (1st ed). Chichester: Wiley Blackwell.

Downe, S. and Byrom, S. (Eds). (2019). Squaring the circle - normal birth research and practice in a technological age. London: Pinter & Martin.

Dahlen, H., Kuman-Hazard, B. and Schmeid, V. (Eds). (2020). Birthing outside the system - the canary in the coal mine. Abingdon: Routledge.

Einion, A. (2020). “I’m Not Fat. I’m Pregnant”: A critical discussion of current debates in body size, fatness, pregnancy, and motherhood. in J. Andrew and M. Friedman. (Eds) Body Stories: in and out and with and through fat. Bradford: Demeter.

Einion, A. and Rinaldi, J. (Eds). (2018). Bearing the weight of the world. Bradford: Demeter

Einion-Waller A. (2021) Inclusive maternity care and education. In: W. Leal Filho, A. Marisa Azul, L. Brandli, ALange Salvia and T. Wall. (Eds). Gender equality.

Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Switzerland, Springer.

Homer, C., Leap, N., Brodie, P. and Sandall, J. (2019). Midwifery continuity of care. (2nd ed). Australia: Elsevier.

Gambotto-Burke, A. (2022). Apple: Sex, drugs, motherhood and the recovery of the feminine. London: Pinter & Martin.

Geneviere, L. R. (Ed). (2021). Women’s choices, midwife voices. Scotland: Garmoran.

Pickles, C. and Herring, J. (Eds). (2019). Childbirth, vulnerability and law - exploring issues of violence and control. Abingdon: Routledge.

Reed, R. (2021). Reclaiming childbirth as a right of passage: weaving ancient wisdom with modern knowledge. Word Witch.

Vaamonde, D., Hackney, A. C. and Garcia-Manso, J. M. (2022). Fertility, pregnancy and wellness. Edinburgh: Elsevier.

van Emden, J. and Becker, L. (2016). Presentation skills for students. (3rd ed). London: Palgrave.

World Health Organisation. (2022). Ending inappropriate marketing of breast-milk substitutes and foods for infants and young children. [Online]. Available from: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/352003/WHO-EURO-2022-4885-44648-63367-eng.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y [Accessed 11 March 2022].