Midwifery Qualification in Selected Countries: A Rapid Review

Background: While the global maternal mortality ratio (MMR) shows a decreasing trend, there is room for improvement. Midwifery education has been under scrutiny to ensure that graduates acquire knowledge and skills relevant to the local context. Objective: To review the basic professional midwifery...

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Main Authors: Shakirah Md. Sharif (Author), Wuan Shuen Yap (Author), Weng Hong Fun (Author), Ee Ling Yoon (Author), Nur Fadzilah Abd Razak (Author), Sondi Sararaks (Author), Shaun Wen Huey Lee (Author)
Format: Book
Published: MDPI AG, 2021-10-01T00:00:00Z.
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Summary:Background: While the global maternal mortality ratio (MMR) shows a decreasing trend, there is room for improvement. Midwifery education has been under scrutiny to ensure that graduates acquire knowledge and skills relevant to the local context. Objective: To review the basic professional midwifery qualification and pre-practice requirements in countries with lower MMR compared with Malaysia. Methods: A rapid review of country-specific Ministry of Health and Midwifery Association websites and Advanced Google using standardised key words. English-language documents reporting the qualifications of midwives or other requirements to practise midwifery from countries with a lower MMR than Malaysia were included. Results: Sixty-three documents from 35 countries were included. The minimum qualification required to become a midwife was a bachelor's degree. Most countries require registration or licensing to practise, and 35.5% have implemented preregistration national midwifery examinations. In addition, 13 countries require midwives to have nursing backgrounds. Conclusion: In countries achieving better maternal outcomes than Malaysia, midwifes often have a degree or higher qualification. As such, there is a need to reinvestigate and revise the midwifery qualification requirements in Malaysia.
Item Description:10.3390/nursrep11040080
2039-4403
2039-439X