Authors: Marika Merits MA, BSc, Kaire Sildver RM, RN, MSc, Irena Bartels RM, MA, Kristina Krivats-Arba RM, RN.
The current scientific article is about midwifery care during childbirth and postpartum period, incl. newborn care in Afghanistan: based on the results of the interviews conducted in Estonia. Nine midwives and/or teachers of midwifery from Afghanistan were in Estonia from May 2015 to June 2015 under the development cooperation project. Improving the quality of vocational education for women in the fields of health care and information technology in the provinces of Herat, Balkh, Nangarhar and Faryab in Afghanistan (From August 2014 to August 2016). “They took part in continuing professional training organised by the Department of Midwifery of Tallinn Health Care College to improve their professional knowledge and information technology skills. Under the project mentioned above, the Afghan midwives were interviewed with the aim to find out, what is the essence of midwifery care in Afghanistan, in order to teach the midwives participating in the continuing training the specific knowledge and skills they could implement in their home country, in order to improve the quality of midwifery care.
Introduction: The health indicators of the Afghan women are significantly different from the global standards. Many deaths are caused by lack of trained midwives and limited accessibility to quality midwife care during childbirth and postpartum period. The mortality rate of the Afghan mothers and the newborns is one of the highest
in the world.
Purpose: To describe and find out factors which impact midwifery professional activities during antenatal care, labour and postpartum in North and East Afghanistan and how to improve Medical and Info-technological education to target group.
Methods: The research study uses qualitative methodology. The study was conducted by using the semi-structured interviews.
Results: Midwifery care during childbirth and postpartum period in Afghanistan has been unequally divided, and is accessible to less than half of the women in labour. Major obstacles are lack of trained midwives, several social and cultural factors such as economic factors and unsafe situation in the country, no support from the family and low level of education. Conclusions: In the frame of the project has developed the curriculum for target group midwives to enhance their professional skills and educational level.
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