Successful Home Birth and Midwifery

It astounds the western world that such a highly industrialized nation as the Netherlands, with all the resources of modern medicine and technology, has a marked preference for home birth assisted by midwives. Van der Mark examines Dutch attitudes and practices surrounding birth from a sociohistorical point of view, explaining the importance of ideological consensus, the private nature of the Dutch family, the high regard for comfort and well being, and the professional development of midwives as trained and licensed practitioners. This volume will be welcomed by those convinced of the value of low-intervention home birth, but it will also be of interest to practitioners who must rely on technological procedures to manage the birth process. Since the Dutch hold one of the world records of pregnancy outcome statistics, readers will be interested in the Dutch midwifery model described here by various contributors.

Preface
Introduction to the Dutch System of Home Birth and Midwifery by Eva Abraham-Van der Mark
Historical Background
The Guardians of Normal Birth: The Debate on the Standard and Status of the Midwife in the Netherlands around 1900 by Hilary Marland
Dutch Obstetric Science: Emergence, Growth, and Present Situation by Anja Hiddinga
Family Change and Continuity in the Netherlands: Birth and Childbed in Text and Art by Rineke van Daalen
The Selection System and the Quality of Care
Selection as the Basis of Obstetric Care in the Netherlands by Pieter E. Treffers
How Safe are Dutch Home Births? by Simone E. Buitendijk
The Impact of Medical-technological Developments on Midwifery in the Netherlands by Tjeerd Tymstra
Midwives, Maternity Home Care Assistants and the Role of the State
Dutch Midwifery, Past and Present: An Overview by Eva Abraham-Van der Mark
Maternity Home Care Assistant: A Unique Occupation by Edwin van Teijlingen
Illness versus Natural Process: Competing Paradigms in Great Britain and the Netherlands by L. H. Lumey
Interview with Professor Gerrit-Jan Kloosterman, Obstetrician and Advocate of the Dutch Obstetric System by Rineke van Daalen and Reinie van Goor
Going Dutch: Lessons for Americans from the Dutch Birth Experience by Barbara Katz Rothman
Index