Case 3: Weaving Traditional and Professional Midwifery: The Story of Midwifery, Birth Center, and the Empowerment of Midwives in Guatemala (50 points)
The Case Study is designed to provide an opportunity for students to review an MCH case that relates to class content.
Directions:
• The written portion of the case studies should be in response to the questions provided below. Limit your responses to no more than five typewritten pages. You may attach additional information, e.g., table, charts, etc., that you find helpful in responding to the questions.
• When writing up the final case, material should not be copied and pasted from the web. It may be paraphrased or interpreted by you with reference to the original author or site. A reference list must be provided, using APA format.
• Cases should be no longer than 5 double-spaced pages.
1. The case describes two types of midwives: traditional and professional. Define each and describe requirements for becoming each type of midwife. How does this compare to midwifery in the US? You will need to search the web to identify this information.
2. Create a table (or graph) that lists maternal and infant mortality trends for Guatemala over the last several years. (Report the number of years that demonstrate a trend.) Speculate on what you believe may be responsible in any trends you identify. Make sure to label the table (or graph) appropriately with dates, sources of data and definitions of variables reported.
3. The population that the case describes is primarily Ladinos and Mayans. Describe one-two childbirth related practices that these populations use. How do these practices compare to the western-medical practices? Have we learned anything from these practices?
4. Describe and comment on 2-3 unique aspects of the Ixmucané Birthing Center. How does this compare with birth centers in the US?
5. The Midwives for Midwives (MFM) program originally allowed illiterate women to take the training, but later required that women could read. Do you agree with this approach? Why or why not? They provide a book to each trainee to use. What question(s) does/do the use of this book raise?
6. Referring to Box 2-1 and the text that follows, what else would you want to measure to determine effectiveness of the training program?
7. The case indicates that these programs no longer exist. What thoughts do you have about their closure? What would you do differently to keep the center and MFM open?
