MIDWIFERY IN JAPAN Japanese Nursing Association
Contents Ⅰ. Maternal and Child Health 1. Statistics 2 1) Trends in Indicators Concerning Maternal and Child Health 2 2. Policies 3 1) Main Policies 3 2) Main Measures 4 Ⅱ. Midwives in Japan 1. Midwifery Regulation 7 1) Definition of the Midwifery Home 8 2) Registration of the Midwifery Home 8 3) Birth Control Instructor 8 4) Obligation to Confidentiality 8 2. Midwifery Education 8 1) Basic Midwifery Education 8 2) Education for Novice Midwives 10 3) Continuing Education 12 3. Number of Midwives 12 4. Evaluation of the Quality of Midwifery Care 13 5. Midwifery Practice 14 1) Importance of Care by Midwives 14 2) Roles of Midwives in Re-modeling of Perinatal Medical Service System 14 3) The System Implementation at Facilities 15 Ⅲ. Recent Topics Requiring Special Attention 1. Guide for Protocol Development for Delivery Facilities During Disasters 17 2. Temporary Transfer System of Midwives 17 3. Other Topics 18 1) Gestational Diabetes Mellitus 18 2) HTLV-1 18 3) Handbook for Introducing Unit Management of a Mixed-Divisions Ward for Maternity and Other Patients 18 References 19 Midwifery in Japan 01
Ⅰ. Maternal and Child Health 1. Statistics 1) Trends in Indicators Concerning Maternal and Child Health 1)2) Perinatal and infant mortality rates in Japan, commonly regarded as maternal and child health indicators, rank among the lowest in the world. Special attention, however, should be directed in the future to measures for maternal and child health promotion and to improvement of perinatal medical service system. (1) Births 3) In Japan, both the number of births and the total fertility rate tend to decrease. Although the birth rate shows a slight increase in the recent years, the increase is not large enough to overturn the ongoing issue of low birth rate in Japan. The total fertility rate in 2012 was 1.41, lower than 2.08 required for population stability. The total number of births in 2012 was 1.05 million, and if the current trend of decreasing birth rate continues, the projected number of births for 2025 is expected to be 0.78 million. (2) Maternal Mortality The maternal mortality rate in 2008 was 3.6, showing that Japan has one of the lowest maternal mortality rates in the world. However, the major causes of maternal mortality are preventable diseases, such as hypertension, and intrapartum hemorrhage. (3) Perinatal Mortality 4) Japanese perinatal mortality refers to stillbirths after the 22nd week of pregnancy and early neonatal deaths within 1 week after birth. WHO states in its International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems-10 that the perinatal period commences at 22 completed weeks (154 days) of gestation and ends seven completed days after birth. Based on this definition, the method of calculating perinatal deaths was revised in 1995 in Japan. The perinatal mortality rate, which is the combined number of stillbirths after the 28th week of pregnancy and of early neonatal deaths per 1,000 live births is also calculated to compare Japanese data with international data. Japan s perinatal mortality rate in 2010 was 2.0, which is among the lowest in the world. There are two main causes of perinatal deaths concerning the fetus, which include diseases generated during the perinatal period (85.3%), and congenital malformations and chromosomal abnormalities (13.7%). The non-fetal factors include non-maternal based causes (36.1%), complications occurring in the placenta, umbilical cord and fetal membrane (27.5%), and maternal diseases that may be unrelated to the current pregnancy (26.2%). Year Population Live Births Table 1: Change in Maternal and Child Health Indicators 5)6)7) Birth Rate (per 1,000) Total Fertility Rate Maternal Mortality Rate (per 100,000 live births) Perinatal Mortality Rate (International standard**) Infant Mortality Rate (per 1,000 live births) Stillbirth Rate (per 1,000 births) 1960 93,418,501 1,606,041 17.2 2.00 130.6 41.4 30.7 100.4 1965 98,274,961 1,823,697 18.6 2.14 87.6 30.1 18.5 81.4 1970 103,119,447 1,934,239 18.8 2.13 52.1 21.7 13.1 65.3 1975 111,251,507 1,901,440 17.1 1.91 28.7 16.0 10.0 50.8 1980 116,320,358 1,576,889 13.6 1.75 20.5 11.7 7.5 46.8 1985 120,265,700 1,431,577 11.9 1.76 15.8 8.0 5.5 46.0 1990 122,721,397 1,221,585 10.0 1.54 8.6 5.7 4.6 42.3 1995 124,298,947 1,187,064 9.6 1.42 7.2 4.7 4.3 32.1 2000 125,612,633 1,190,547 9.5 1.36 6.6 3.8 3.2 31.2 2005 126,204,902 1,062,530 8.4 1.26 5.8 3.3 2.8 29.1 2010 128,057,000 1,071,304 8.5 1.39 4.1 2.0 2.3 24.2 2012 127,515,000 1,037,231 8.2 1.41 2.2 23.4 * Indicator for international comparison. Sum of the number of stillbirths after the 28th week of pregnancy and the number of deaths in early infancy divided by the number of live births, per 1,000 live births 02 Midwifery in Japan
(4) Infant Mortality 4) The infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births was 2.3 in 2011, showing that Japan has one of the lowest infant mortality rate in the world. The leading cause of infant death is congenital malformation and chromosomal abnormality, followed by perinatal-specific respiratory disorders and cardiovascular disorders and unforeseen accidents. The first leading cause of neonatal deaths within 1 month after birth is congenital malformation and chromosomal abnormality, and the second is perinatal-specific respiratory disorders and cardiovascular disorders. After the Second World War, the major causes of infant deaths continued to be infectious diseases including pneumonia, bronchitis, enteritis, and other diarrheal diseases. Those causes have drastically decreased today. On the other hand, the number of infant deaths caused by congenital malformation and chromosomal abnormality, and diseases generated during the perinatal period have not decreased dramatically. These causes warrant further attention in the future. 2. Policies 8) The aim of the policies in Japan is to implement comprehensive maternal and child health care from adolescence to pregnancy, childbirth, neonatal and infant periods. The measures are differentiated for beneficiaries at different periods so that optimal services can be provided that suit their specific needs. The Maternal and Child Health Act was established to maintain and promote maternal, newborn, and infant health and to contribute to improve the national health by figuring out principles of maternal and child health. The act also aims to provide mothers, newborns and infants health guidance and examination services and other medical measures. It stipulates that it is the role of the municipalities to provide health guidance to pregnant and postpartum women and health check-ups for newborns and infants. 1. Purposes The purposes of this act is to maintain and promote maternal, newborn, and infant health and to contribute to improve national health by figuring out principles of maternal and child health as well as providing mothers, newborns and infants with health guidance and examination services to take medical and other measures. 2. Major provisions 1. Health guidance (Article 10) The Municipality shall provide pregnant/ postpartum women with the necessary health guidance on pregnancy, child delivery, and childrearing or shall recommend them to receive such health guidance. 2. Health check-ups (Articles 12 and 13) The Municipality shall provide health check-ups for 18-month-old infants and 3-year-old infants. In addition to the above, the Municipality shall provide health check-ups for pregnant/ postpartum women and newborns/ infants as needed, or shall encourage them to receive health check-ups. 3. Report on pregnancy (Article 15) Those diagnosed to be pregnant shall immediately report their pregnancy to the mayor of the municipality. 4. The Maternal and Child Health Handbook (Article 16) The municipality shall issue the Maternal and Child Health Handbook to those who have reported their pregnancy. 5. Report on the birth of a low-birth weight child (Article 18) Upon the birth of a baby weighing under 2,500 g, his/ her guardians shall immediately report to the municipality where the baby is located at the time. 6. Medical aid for premature infants (Article 20) The municipality shall provide premature infants with the medical aids, or shall pay the full medical expenses. Fig. 1: Outline of the Maternal and Child Health Act 9) 1) Main Policies (1) Sukoyaka Oyako 21 (Healthy Parents and Children 21) 8)10) Sukoyaka Oyako 21 (Healthy Parents and Children 21), a national campaign has been promoted since 2000 through the combined efforts of related organizations and groups working toward the common goals of systematizing outstanding and new issues and guiding maternal and child health care on its pathway for the 21st century. This program has four main challenges with 61 indicators as goals for the decade from 2001 to 2010. The four main challenges include: reinforcement health measures during adolescence and promotion of health education; ensuring of a safe and comfortable pregnancy/ childbirth, and assistance for infertility; development of environmental systems to maintain and improve pediatric medical standards; promotion of the sound development of children and reduction of anxiety concerning childrearing. An interim evaluation was conducted in 2005 and 2009 to review the program, and the Midwifery in Japan 03
National Plan of the Early 21st Century for the Health of Mothers and Children (2001 2014) Topics (i) Reinforcement Health Measures during Adolescence and Promotion of Health Education (ii) Ensuring of a safe and Comfortable Pregnancy / Childbirth, and Assistance for Infertility (iii) Development of Environmental Systems to Maintain and Improve Pediatric Medical Standards (iv)promotion of the Sound Development of Children and Reduction of Anxiety concerning childrearing Main goals (2014) Teenage Suicide Rate (Down) Teenage Abortion Rate (Down) Teenage STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease) Rate (Down) Maternal Mortality Rate (Down by half) Rate of Occurrence of Postpartrum Depression (Down) Ratio of Obstetricians, Gynecologists and Midwives Compared to the Population of Pregnant Women (Work toward an Increase) Ratio of Low-Weight Newborns at Birth among All Live Births (Down) Mortality Rate by Accidents (Down by half) Percentage of Women who Smoke(Cigarettes) during Pregnancy and Parents who Smoke at Home while Raising Children (0%) Number of Fatal Cases of Child Abuse (Down) Ratio of Breastfeeding Mothers 1 month after childbirth (Up) Ratio of Pediatricians with Skills to Handle Emotional Problems of Parents and Children (100%) Parents Support Period Pregnancy/Delivery/ Postpartrum Period Childbearing period Childbearing Period Children Adolescence Fetal to Newborn Period Neonatal/ Infant to Toddler/ Child Period Neonatal/ Infant to Toddler/ Child Period Medical Institutions Research Institutions Cooperation and Co-Working Companies NPOs Local Municipalities Residents (Parents and children) National Government (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, etc.) Schools Health Parents and Children 21 Promotional Council (Local Community Organizations / Specialized Organizations / Private Organizations) Establishing monitoring system Fig. 2: Sukoyaka Oyako 21 (Healthy Parents and Children 21) 8) final evaluation was conducted in 2013. The results of the final evaluation indicated improvement in approximately 80% of the 69 indicators (74 items). Starting in 2014 a new set of indicators will be developed. (2) Child and Childrearing Support Plan 11) In 2010, the Cabinet decided to formulate a new outline of measures for a society with a decreasing birthrate, Children and Childrearing Vision -- for the Society Full of Smiling Children --. The new outline stipulated the basic idea of Children First (Children at the center) with the aim of building a society that values children. In 2012, the Child and Childrearing Support Law was established to construct a new structure by unifying child and childrearing support systems and their funds. It comprehensively promotes improvement in school education, child care for toddlers, and community child and childrearing support. The law aims to achieve this goal through improvement of the approved child institution system, unified benefit payments to approved child institutions/kindergartens/daycare centers (institution-based benefit payment), along with the establishment of benefit payment to small-sized daycare service providers (community-based benefit payments), and the establishment of child and childrearing support conferences. (3) Improvement of Child and Childrearing Support through Unified Reform of the Social Security and Taxation System Childrearing support became one of the central targets of the unified reform of the social security and taxation system. A new system for child and childrearing support was established, permanent financial resources were secured for this system. 2) Main Measures 8) The aim of the policies is to implement comprehensive maternal and child health care under a consistent system covering premarital preparation, pregnancy, childbirth and the neonatal and infant periods. 04 Midwifery in Japan
Classification Health Check-up, etc. Adolescence Marriage Pregnancy Child birth Age 1 Age 2 Age 3 Prenatal/ postnatal health check-ups (Ultrasound Scan for mothers over 35-year old) Health check-up for infants Hearing test for the newborn 1 yr. 6 mo. child health checkups Mass-screening for congenital dysbolism, Cretinism tests Vertical Hepatitis B transmission prevention project 3 yr. child health checkups Report on pregnancy and issuance of MCH handbook from local government Distribution of the Maternity Logo Health guidance, etc. Home visit services to support child-rearing (*2) Home-visit guidance, etc. by public health nurses, etc. Home visit services for all families with infants before 2 months of age ( Hello Baby Project ) (*2) Consultation and guidance services for maternal and child health (premarital classes) (classes for newly weds) (parents class) (child care class) Women s lifetime health assistance projects (*1) (General health counseling and centers for specialized infertility counseling) Promotion of adolescents healthcare Intensified projects of child accident prevention Promotion of food education Medical aid, etc. Medical care for Subsidy for specific premature infants infertility treatment expenses (*1) Medical aid for toxemia in pregnancy Medical aid for specific chronic pediatric diseases Provision of daily necessities for children with specific chronic pediatric diseases Medical treatment and education services for children with tuberculosis Treatment guidance services (*1) Project to provide special formulas for children with dysbolism Next generation development basic research project for overcoming children s diseases, etc. (healthy, labour, welfare and sciencere search fund) Medical measures, etc. Note 1) Healthy pregnancy support projects (*1) : State-subsidized projects : Projects on general finance *1: General support projects for maternal and child health measures *2: Projects funded by the Subsidies for Next Generation Supporting Program *3: General support projects for child abuse/ DV prevention measures, etc. Child mental care network project (*1) Medical care network project for child abuse prevention (*3) Fig. 3: System of Measures for Maternal and Child Health 4) (1) Distribution of the Maternal and Child Health Handbook 4) A pregnant woman has to notify the municipality of her pregnancy (Maternal and Child Health Law, Article 15). Upon registration of pregnancy, the Maternal and Child Health Handbook is issued to her (Article 16). The Maternal and Child Health Handbook originated from the Maternal Handbook first issued in 1942, which established a system of pregnancy registration and provided pregnant and postpartum women with health care support. The Maternal and Child Health Handbook is issued for pregnant women upon request to their municipality. The handbook functions as a maternal and infant health record that can be used to follow the development process, including pregnancy, birth, and infant growth, as well as an immunization record prior to reaching school age. Pregnant women can use their handbook as a database on the pregnancy process beyond the facility where they receive their health check-ups. Furthermore, the handbook can be used by the entire family for basic information on pregnancy, childbirth and child care. Such information is extremely helpful for coherent maternal and child health care throughout the period of pregnancy, childbirth and childcare. Various uses of the handbook are also effective in boosting awareness of the mother and the father. As part of the measures to combat declining birth rate, the municipal subsidy for antenatal check-ups has been increased and the Maternal and Child Health Handbook now includes free coupons for 14 antenatal check-ups. The Midwifery in Japan 05
Maternal and Child Health Law also stipulates that the municipality provides health check-ups to infants of 18-months and 3-years of age. Other benefits include free coupons for health check-ups for infants and toddlers, although benefits depend on the municipality. The handbook is available in a number of foreign languages (English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Indonesian, Portuguese, Thai, and Tagalog) for foreigners residing in Japan and for Japanese residing overseas. (2) Health/Home Guidance for Pregnant Women and Infants Health guidance and home guidance concerning pregnancy, childbirth, and child care are mainly provided by the municipality (Maternal and Child Health Law, Article 10). As needed, physicians, midwives, or public health nurses visit the homes of and provide health guidance for pregnant and postpartum women, newborns, and premature babies. (Articles 11, 17, and 19) Maternal and Child Health Handbook 12) Home-visit Guidance Project for All Infants 13) Home visits are made for all households with infants aged up to 4 months so that their caregivers can discuss various problems or anxieties they have, and information on childrearing support can be provided. At the same time, mental and physical conditions of parents and children, as well as the childcare environment can be grasped, so that households that require support can be detected and appropriate services can be provided. In this way, a home-visit, which is the first opportunity for the household rearing infants to have contact with the local community, will help households keep away from being isolated and secure a sound childrearing environment. (3) Other Measures 1 Distribution of the Maternity Logo 4) As part of the Sukoyaka Oyako 21 (Healthy Parents and Children 21) campaign efforts, Maternity Logo was introduced in March 2006. The Logo promotes an environment of safety and comfort for women during pregnancy and child delivery period by promoting public recognition of pregnant women. By displaying the logo while pregnant women use public transportation, it is easier for them to show that they are pregnant, and thus the logo promotes the development of a friendly environment for pregnant/postpartum women. Public administrations and private businesses are actively engaged in increasing the distribution of Maternity Logos by distributing Maternity Logos with Maternal and Child Health Handbooks, and by displaying posters about Maternity Logos. I m Expecting A Baby. The Maternity Logo 14) 06 Midwifery in Japan
Ⅱ. Midwives in Japan 1. Midwifery Regulation The midwife and her activities are defined under the Act on Public Health Nurse, Midwife and Nurse (No. 203) established in 1948. The purpose of this law is to improve the quality of public health nurses, midwives, and nurses, and promote medical care and public health. In December 2001, the law was partially revised, and the title of the law in Japanese was changed slightly. Although the law had traditionally defined only professional roles, the revised law in 2006 added provisions concerning the titles of midwives, nurses and assistant nurses (See Article 42 (3) of the Act on Public Health Nurse, Midwife and Nurse). Act on Public Health Nurse, Midwife, Nurse (Acted in 1948, Revised in 2006) [Definition of midwife] Article 3 Under this law, Midwife refers to a woman licensed by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, who practices midwifery or provides health care to pregnant women, women in the postpartum period, and newborn infants. [Restrictions on midwifery activities] Article 30 Only a midwife licensed under Article 3 shall engage in these activities, except in situations where those activities are performed in accordance with the provisions of the Medical Practitioner Law (Law No. 201, 1998). [Restrictions on the use of titles] Article 42 (3) 2. One who is not a midwife shall not refer to oneself as a midwife nor use other misleading titles. In addition, the Japanese Nursing Association (JNA) is a member of the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) and has adopted the following ICM definition of the midwife, which was revised at the ICM International Council Meeting in Kobe in 1990 and ratified by the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) in 1991, and then by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1992. The recent revision was made in 2011 as following. A midwife is a person who has successfully completed a midwifery education programme that is duly recognized in the country where it is located and that is based on the ICM Essential Competencies for Basic Midwifery Practice and the framework of the ICM Global Standards for Midwifery Education; who has acquired the requisite qualifications to be registered and/or legally licensed to practice midwifery and use the title midwife ; and who demonstrates competency in the practice of midwifery. Scope of Practice The midwife is recognised as a responsible and accountable professional who works in partnership with women to give the necessary support, care and advice during pregnancy, labour and the postpartum period, to conduct births on the midwife s own responsibility and to provide care for the newborn and the infant. This care includes preventative measures, the promotion of normal birth, the detection of complications in the mother and child, the accessing of medical care or other appropriate assistance and the carrying out of emergency measures. The midwife has an important task in health counseling and education, not only for the woman, but also within the family and the community. This work should involve antenatal education and preparation for parenthood and may extend to women s health, sexual or reproductive health and child care. A midwife may practice in any setting including the home, community, hospitals, clinics or health units. Revised and adopted by ICM Council June 15, 2011 Due for review 2017 15) Midwives and their activities are regulated as follows by the Act on Public Health Nurse, Midwife and Nurse, as well Midwifery in Japan 07
as other related laws, including the Medical Care Law and the Maternal Protection Law. 1) Definition of the Midwifery Home (Medical Law, Article 2) 16) A Midwifery Home is a place where a midwife provides midwifery services (excluding those given in a hospital or clinic) to the general public and selective group of people. The Midwifery Home may not consist of facilities that can accommodate 10 or more pregnant, parturient, or puerperal women. 2) Registration of the Midwifery Home (Medical Law, Article 8) 16) When a midwife has established a midwifery home, she is required to notify the governor of the prefecture where it is located, within ten days of beginning operations. 3) Birth Control Instructor Maternal Protection Law, Article 15 states as follows: the practice of instructing women about birth control utilizing the contraceptive devices specified by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare is only permitted by physicians and those who are designated by the governor of the prefecture. Those who may be designated by the governor of the prefecture are midwives, public health nurses or nurses who have finished the courses which the governor of the prefecture certifies according to the standard set by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare. (Article 15, Paragraph 2) Nowadays, it is required to make efforts in a variety of places women and their families become aware of birth control at each life stage in addition to consultation as family planning experts. Persons who play such a role were nicknamed as Reproductive Health Supporter by JNA as of 2009. 4) Obligation to Confidentiality Article 134 of the Penal Code states that physicians, vendors of pharmaceutical products, midwives, lawyers, defendants and notaries, as well as those who previously engaged in these occupations, can be punished by imprisonment for six months or less, or fined a maximum of 100,000yen, if they breached confidentiality without legitimate grounds and disclosed others the clients information obtained through their practice. 2. Midwifery Education 1) Basic Midwifery Education (1) Midwifery Education System An applicant for the midwife license is required to have acquired certification as a nurse either prior to or simultaneously as acquiring the midwifery license. In addition, the person has to have studied midwifery for longer than one year at college or training school to obtain a midwifery license. As shown in the figure on the next page, there are various midwifery education pathways in Japan. JNA is making an effort to create a system that provides a 4-year basic nursing education in college/universities unified midwifery education at the graduate level. Midwifery students learn about pregnancy/child delivery/postpartum care in various educational courses. They are also required to assist with child delivery approximately 10 times during the course of Practical Training for Midwifery. The practical midwifery training is provided in a hospital, clinic, or midwifery home. According to the regulations of The Educational Institutions of Public Health Nurses, Midwives and Nurses, the child delivery for midwifery students practical training should satisfy the following three conditions,: 1: Delivery of a child during the period from the first day of the 37th week to the seventh day of the 41st week of pregnancy. 2: Vaginal delivery 3: Head-first delivery (the fetus is in a head-down position) and single birth (there is only one fetus). (2) Number of Midwifery Schools/Programs Over the past few years, there has been a slight increase in the number of midwifery schools. However, the number of students accepted for midwifery programs at four-year colleges/universities is small due to the difficulty securing facilities for clinical training. Consequently, the number of those who pass the national examination remains at about the 08 Midwifery in Japan
National Midwifery Examination Midwifery school (1 year) Specialty course at colleges/ universities (1 year) Specialty school at colleges/ universities (1 year) Specialty course at junior colleges (1 year) Graduate school (2 year) Professional Graduate school (2 year) *1 1 year within the 4 years course 1 individual year after obtaining the nurse license *2 (1) below (1) and (2) below (1) below (1) below (1) below (1) below Those who (1) hold or (2) are to receive a license as a nurse College/ University (4 years) Junior College (3 years) Nursing School (3 years) Five-Year Education High School Nursing Program (2 years) High School (3 years) High School *1 Offered to those who have completed the classes of 4-year education at college/university required for taking the National Midwifery Examination. *2 There are colleges/universities, junior colleges and graduate schools that even graduates from nursing schools can enter if they meet the institution s requirements. Fig. 4: Outline of the Midwifery Education Curriculum 17) same level. 200 197 2,200 180 (3) Midwifery Curriculum 1,697 180 160 1,800 1,623 1,619 In line with the 1997 1,505 140 1,444 1,579 1,600 1,388 146 revision of regulations 1,400 120 124 controlling midwifery 1,200 100 education, the current 98 1,000 80 curriculum consists of the 800 78 79 60 70 Table 2 (See page10). 600 As a result of the April 2008 revision of regulations controlling educational 40 20 0 1981 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2013 400 200 0 institutions of public health Graduate Professional Junior Midwifery Total no. of No. of passing University educational the national course Graduate School College School institution exam nurses, midwives and nurses, * The National Midwifery Examination has been given once a year since 1990, although it was given twice a year until then. the number of credits for clinical midwifery training will Fig. 5: The number of midwifery educational institutions and those passing the increase to nine in 2010. In national midwifery examination 18) addition, the 2009 revision concerning extension of the total years of training in the Act on Public Health Nurse, Midwife and Nurse resulted in the increase in total number of credits for completing course from 22 to 28 for students starting the course in 2012 or later. Moreover, births that can be assisted by students will be limited, in principle, to full-term and vaginal births, and cephalic and single births, within a period of from the first stage of labour to two hours later than 2,072 2,000 Midwifery in Japan 09
completing the third stages. Exact curriculum details for the educational programs may be set at the discretion of each school, depending upon the school s educational aims. Student Midwives Practice for Neonatal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Table 2: Midwifery Course Content 19) Subject Credit Content Fundamental of Midwifery Midwifery Diagnostics and Skills Maternal and Child Health in Community Midwifery Management Clinical Midwifery Training 6 To learn about basics of midwifery as an activity supporting women throughout their lifetime with a focus on reproductive health To understand the midwife s role to be responsible for respecting the life of mother and child at the same time and to learn bioethics in depth To nurture the ability to support motherhood and fatherhood development placing particular importance on psychological and sociological perspectives of the family To learn about team approach and coordination/ liaison with the related institutions To learn about expertise of midwives, attitudes and stance required for midwifes 8 To nurture the ability to diagnose normal/abnormal pregnancy progression and acquire the latest skills that fit the diagnosis To ensure to acquire the essential midwifery skills required for implementing midwifery process, through improved and strengthened practical training designed for thorough acquisition of essential basic midwifery skills To strengthen the ability responding to emergencies that can occur in childbirth (repair of perineorrhaphy and laceration, neonatal resuscitation, hemostatic treatment and assistance to parturient women and the family of abnormal newborns, etc.) To strengthen assessment techniques of health conditions of pregnant/puerperant women and newborns and assistance techniques based on the assessment result To nurture the ability to assist childbirth respecting the pregnant and parturient women s initiative 1 To nurture the ability to provide maternal and child health services meeting the various needs of citizens as well as the ability to promote regional maternal and child health in cooperation and collaboration with the related persons in public health, medical care, and welfare 2 To learn about management of midwifery services, operation of maternity clinics, and the perinatal medical care system 11 To integrate clinical training in midwifery diagnostics and skills, maternal and child health care in the community, and midwifery management. Births assisted by students will be limited, in principle, to full-term, vaginal, cephalic and single births, during a period of from the first stage of labour up to two hours after the completion of the third stage To provide continuous care at least one case of woman from her mid-pregnancy to one month after delivery during the training period To include clinical training to strengthen the ability to assess pregnancy progression through antenatal health check-ups support breastfeeding of puerperant women, and conduct newborn babies assessment TOTAL 28 To provide at least 930 hours of lecture, practical training, etc. ( ) The number of credits applied to students starting the course in 2012 1 credit corresponds to 45 hours (Note) When the applicant passes the national examination after completing 28 credits, the midwifery license is given by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare. Since it is not necessary to renew the license once it is obtained, the holder can continue midwifery practice indefinitely. 2) Education for Novice Midwives 20) The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) put forth the Guidelines for Training Novice Nursing Staff in December 2009 with concrete measures to secure the quality of nursing. This was with the understanding that training of novice nursing staff is one of the primary ways to uplift the overall quality of the nursing staff, and warrants that as many institutions provide a standardized level of novice training. In February 2011, the Final Report of the Commission that Investigated the Training of Novice Nursing Staff presented the guidelines for training of novice public health nurses and midwives. According to the report, since trainings of novice public health nurses and novice midwives are often provided at institutions, it is important that the philosophy/basic policy/ structure of the training of novice midwives and trainer development should be aligned with those for novice nursing staff training. As a result, the goals of midwifery techniques that midwives should obtain during the first year after they have started midwifery practice, the elements supporting their midwifery techniques, and examples of technical guidance have been added to the Guidelines for Training Novice Nursing Staff. The major efforts by the MHLW concerning novice nursing staff training are presented in their website. It is pointed out in the conclusion of the investigative commission on the ideal state of the Act on Public Health Nurse, Midwife 10 Midwifery in Japan
Table 3: Clinical Ladder for Education for Novice Midwives 20) Goals Novice level Level I Level II Level III Level IV 1. Able to provide midwifery care safely and surely in accordance with instructions, the procedure, and the guidebook. 1. Able to provide midwifery care safely and surely, having acquired knowledge, skills, and a proper attitude to assist healthy living. 2. Know the contents of midwifery led care for inpatients and outpatients. *Able to understand the pathological conditions of high risk patients and proper way to cope with them. 1. Able to provide individualized care based on the midwifery process. 2. Able to provide care in the in-hospital midwifery clinic with support. 3. Able to provide midwifery care together with the senior midwives in the in-hospital midwifery care unit. *Able to judge whether the symptom is high or low risk and provide the initial intervention 1. Able to responsibly provide midwifery care of the pregnant/ puerperant woman and the newborn throughout the hospitalization period. 2. Able to autonomously provide individualized care in the in-hospital midwifery clinic. 3. Able to play an instructive role in the in-hospital midwifery clinic. 4. Able to autonomously provide care in the inhospital midwifery care unit. 1. Able to provide creative midwifery care. 2. Able to play an instructive role in the in-hospital midwifery care unit. 3. Able to play an instructive role in the in-hospital midwifery clinic. *Able to provide instruction to staff in both low and high risk cases. *Able to detect transition from low risk to high risk symptoms in the early stage and to intervene when necessary. and Nurse (November 2005) that institutionalization of novice nursing staff training is highly necessary. In the interim conclusion on improvement and securing of nursing quality (March 2009), it was also pointed out that it was necessary to urgently examine the contents, methods, and diffusion methods of novice nursing staff training, with an aim to institutionalize and make compulsory the training, and putting them into practice while making efforts to improve the basic nursing education. The Act on Public Health Nurse, Midwife and Nurse and the Act on Assurance of Work Forces of Nurses and Other Medical Experts were amended on July 15, 2009. According to the amendment, clinical training of nursing staff newly engaging in the practice became a nonbinding target, effective on April 1, 2010. According to the amendment, each nursing staff is responsible for improving her/his nursing capacity by undergoing clinical training and other training even after acquiring the license, while the director of the hospital, etc. should also make efforts to provide training and to secure opportunities for nursing staff to receive such training. It is of hope that utilization of the Guidelines for Training Novice Nursing Staff in many medical institutions contributes to improving the training of novice nursing staff and their nursing quality, to ensuring medical safety, and to preventing novice nursing staff from giving up their nursing career. JNA formulated the training guide for new graduate midwives in 2012. Table 4: Clinical Ladder for Continuing Education 21) Novice level Level I Level II Level III Level IV Maternity care ability Diagnosis and care during pregnancy, child delivery, puerperium, and newborn period/ Points to be considered during the child delivery period Information gathering Assessment/Clarification of problems (needs) i) Able to understand information required for healthy living behavior diagnosis and pregnancy progress diagnosis in pregnancy/child delivery/ puerperium/newborn period with support. ii) Able to gather information using the fixed form. iii) Know the lacking information and able to gather the additional necessary information with guidance. iv) Able to record using correct terms and appropriate expressions based on criteria and procedures of midwifery care. Low risk i) Know the normal values of vital signs, various examinations and various physical measurements of pregnant/puerperant women and newborns. ii) Able to understand anatomy and physiology concerning obstetrics. iii) Able to understand the meanings of measured values with support. iv) Able to analyze gathered information of healthy living behavior and the pregnancy progress diagnosis with support. v) Able to understand the pathological conditions of major perinatal disorders. i) Able to autonomously gather information required for healthy living behavior diagnosis and pregnancy progress diagnosis in pregnancy/child delivery/ puerperium/newborn period ii) Know the lacking information and be able to gather the additional information. iii) Able to sort out information required for assessment with guidance. iv) Able to make records using the correct terms and appropriate expressions. Low risk i) Know pregnant/puerperant women s normal chronological course, and able to understand newborns physiology. ii) Able to analyze gathered information of healthy living behavior and pregnancy progress diagnosis with support. High risk i) Able to understand pathophysiology and examinations of major perinatal disorders (threatened miscarriage/premature labor, hyperemesis, pregnancy hypertension syndromes, gestational diabetes mellitus, and placenta previa) and the risks of multiple pregnancies. ii) Able to understand the proper response to abnormality of pregnant/puerperant women and newborns, and how to assist them. i) Able to gather all information required for implementing individualized midwifery care among the information required for healthy living behavior diagnosis and pregnancy progress diagnosis in pregnancy/child delivery/ puerperium/newborn period ii) Able to sort out information required for assessment. Low risk i) Able to analyze the gathered information of healthy living behavior and the pregnancy progress diagnosis. ii) Able to clarify the needs of pregnant/puerperant women and newborns. iii) Able to decide the priority order of the needs. High risk i) Able to clarify problems occurring to the pregnant/ puerperant woman and the newborn. ii) Able to determine the priorities of the problems. i) Able to gather information required for healthy living behavior diagnosis and pregnancy progress diagnosis in pregnancy/child delivery/ puerperium/newborn period based on theoretical reasons. ii) Able to gather information in order to conduct assessment taking mental/social aspects and family backgrounds into consideration. iii) Able to sort out the information described in ii) considering needs and priority. iv) Able to gather information intentionally from the relevant persons from different job types. Low risk i) Able to clarify the potential needs. High risk i) Able to clarify potential midwifery problems. ii) Able to clearly distinguish the midwifery problems from the general problems*. i) Able to get the picture of overall situation concerning the target including individuality, mental/social aspects, family background, and selectively gather information focused on the required area. Low /high risk i) Able to give a correct diagnosis considering the risks of the target following the diagnosing process (Able to sort women eligible for in-hospital midwifery care) ii) Able to explain the reasons for the given diagnosis to other midwives and the medical care team members. iii) Able to instruct junior midwives so that they can make a diagnosis following the diagnostic process. Midwifery in Japan 11
Novice level Level I Level II Level III Level IV Diagnosis Planning Practice Evaluation i) Able to make an appropriate diagnosis by analyzing information on healthy living behavior and pregnancy progress with support. i) Able to understand the current conditions and needs of the pregnant/puerperant woman and the newborn. ii) Able to set goals according to the needs of the pregnant/ puerperant women and the newborns with support. iii) Able to make a consistent plan in terms of the conditions of the pregnant/puerperant women and the newborns, the list of their problems, and the goals with support. iv) Able to make a specific plan using the 5W1H framework. v) Able to utilize the midwifery care criteria/standard midwifery plan. i) Able to explain the midwifery practice without fail before starting it. ii) Able to carry out the items to be acquired during the novice midwife training. iii) Able to provide the pregnant/ puerperant woman and the newborn with care services according to the midwifery care plan with support. iv) Able to conduct the observations required for treatment and diagnosis and to appropriately report it. v) Able to conduct the indicated tasks correctly and safely following the midwifery care standards and procedures. vi) Able to correctly record the practice carried out following the midwifery recording procedures. vii) Understand how to cope with in an emergency. viii) Call others for help in an emergency. ix) Know what items are required in an emergency and prepare them according to the procedures. x) Able to understand the clinical pathway when using it. i) Able to accurately report the result of the midwifery care provided by the midwife herself. ii) Able to tell what she did not know during her midwifery practice. i) Able to make an appropriate diagnosis by analyzing information on healthy living behavior and pregnancy progress with support as needed. i) Able to set goals according to the needs of the pregnant/ puerperant women and the newborns. ii) Able to make a consistent plan in terms of the conditions of the pregnant/puerperant women and the newborns, the list of their problems, and the goals. iii) Able to make a specific plan using the 5W1H framework. iv) Able to make a midwifery plan with the participation of the pregnant/puerperant women and their family members with support. i) Able to explain the midwifery practice without fail before starting it. ii) Able to use the basic midwifery skills with support. iii) Able to provide the targets with midwifery care safely and surely following the standards and procedures according to the midwifery care plan. iv) Able to make records using correct terms and appropriate expressions following midwifery care standards and procedures. v) Able to provide Basic Life Support and Advanced Life Support in an emergency (including neonatal resuscitation). vi) Able to conduct practice following the clinical pathway when using it. i) Able to ask questions regarding her midwifery practice and solve them. ii) Able to assess the midwife s own midwifery practice on an basis with support. iii) Able to revise the plan for a continuing problem. iv) Able to record the summary of the performed midwifery practice. i) Able to make an appropriate diagnosis by analyzing information on healthy living behavior and pregnancy progress. ii) Able to consider the priority of problems based on the details of the diagnosis. i) Able to make a midwifery plan considering the individuality of the pregnant/puerperant women and the newborns. ii) Able to assess and revise the midwifery plan. iii) Able to make a midwifery plan with the participation of the pregnant/puerperant women and their family members. i) Able to carry out midwifery practice according to the midwifery care plan. ii) Able to provide the necessary care considering conditions and responses of the pregnant/ puerperant women and the newborns. iii) Able to record new information other than the needs and problems on the list in a timely manner and make an addition or revision to the plan. iv) Able to act properly as a member of the team in an emergency. i) Able to assess the result of the midwifery care provided by herself on reasonable grounds. ii) Able to assess the extent to which the goal was achieved, and to revise the plan. iii) Able to explain and record the summary of the care provided by herself. iv) Able to assess the variances when using clinical pathways. i) Able to make an appropriate diagnosis by analyzing information on healthy living behavior and pregnancy progress. ii) Able to set the priorities while considering whether providing midwifery care only is enough, or medical intervention by the physician is required based on the details of the diagnosis. i) Able to make a midwifery plan considering mental, social, and family conditions of the pregnant/puerperant women and the newborns. ii) Able to make a plan and revise it depending on the conditions. iii) Able to make a midwifery plan with the participation of the pregnant/puerperant women and their family members, and revise it. iv) Able to make a plan including the collaboration with other related health/medical care staff and revise it. i) Able to conduct practices according to the plan while checking the responses of the pregnant/puerperant woman and her family members. ii) Able to play a central role in providing care to the pregnant/puerperant women and newborns in the facility/ department overall. iii) Able to play a central role in an emergency. iv) Able to play an educational/ instructive role in the inhospital midwifery clinic. v) Able to conduct activities properly in collaboration with other related health/medical care professionals. i) Able to assess if the midwifery care provided by herself met the needs of the pregnant/ puerperant woman and the newborn. ii) Able to make self-evaluation concerning whether she is a good role model for the junior midwives and students. i) Able to share the given details of the diagnosis with other members of the medical care team including the pregnant/ puerperant woman. ii) Able to give guidance on the details of the diagnosis given and the priorities of the problems. iii) Able to gather required information, do an assessment, make a diagnosis, and set the priorities in a short time during an emergency. i) Able to make a plan using an appropriate method considering the priorities of the pregnant/ puerperant women and the newborns and their midwifery problems. ii) Able to set appropriate goals (which can be reached/ measured/ assessed) in order to solve the target s problems. iii) Able to play an educational/ instructive role in the process of making a midwifery plan. i) Able to exercise creativity and innovativeness in providing midwifery practice. ii) Able to provide nursing/ midwifery care with various approaches. iii) Able to cope with an emergency, and take the leadership. iv) Able to play an educational/ instructive role at all times. v) Able to support the staff playing an educational/instructive role. i) Able to make qualitative/ quantitative evaluation of the midwifery care provided by herself. ii) Able to evaluate the midwifery care provided by other staff and give guidance. 3) Continuing Education The JNA offers 2-3 day off-the-job training programs for midwives, such as human resource development training concerning establishment and conduct of an in-hospital midwifery clinic and in-hospital midwifery care etc. Similarly, educational programs are also offered by prefecture nursing associations and other organizations. Since FY2011, JNA has put a priority on enhancing practical competency of midwives amongst midwifery related agendas. In 2012, JNA formulated a continuing education tool that can be applied nationwide, Guidelines for Applying Practical Midwifery Competency Ladder (Clinical Ladder) that links the training for novice midwives to in-service professional development provided afterwards. 3. Number of Midwives The number of midwives employed in 2012 was 35,185, or 0.28 per population of 1,000. About 62% of midwives work at hospitals and 25% at clinics. Additionally there are midwives who are currently unemployed, or working as public health nurses or nurses. 12 Midwifery in Japan
36,000 32,000 28,000 24,000 20,000 16,000 12,000 8,000 4,000 0 1971 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2012 Health centers / Municipalities Hospital Clinic Maternity home Nursing educational / research institutes Others Fig. 6: Number of Midwives by Place of Employment (by year) 22) 4. Evaluation of the Quality of Midwifery Care Since 2000, the Professional Committee on Midwifery of JNA has considered indicators and measurements for evaluating the quality of midwifery, taking into account Essential Competencies for Basic Midwifery Care (ICM. 1999). To grasp the current situation in Japan and compare it with other countries, the committee conducted a survey of 2,000 midwives in terms of core competencies listed by the ICM. In line with its findings, evaluation criteria of midwifery in the phases of pregnancy, delivery and puerperium were set in 2003 from the standpoint of the level of midwifery care how midwives should be able to practice 23). The second version of evaluation criteria was drawn up in 2007 in line with the survey results in 2005 24). For the new criteria, competency levels were integrated and the description of each level was simplified. If these criteria are used in maternity facilities nationwide, they are expected to become more standardized and to contribute to assuring the quality of midwifery care. Evaluation of the Quality of Midwifery Care at Medical Facilities: Evaluation Criteria for Self- Check, 2nd version 24) Table 5: Evaluation of the Quality of Midwifery Care at Medical Facilities (Partly excerpted) 24) Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Able to perform with advice / under instruction Able to provide care independently / Able to do independently according to the manual Able to provide individual care by using various methods to achieve the goal / Able to give guidance to students and junior fellows / Able to lead and coordinate a team Able to objectively grasp the situation with a few clues and identify the core of problems / Able to coordinate care, including by other than a nursing team, to set ambitious target Diagnostics and care in the intrapartum period Aim: To provide appropriate midwifery care in respond to the progress of delivery for a mother to have a baby safely and for her and her family to be satisfied with their experiences 113 To understand and respond to the course of delivery for a parturient woman and her family Answer at the item level 4 3 2 1 Not applicable Answer at the sub-item level 113.1. Able to understand the course of delivery for parturient women and their families in the facility 4 3 2 1 Not applicable 113.2. Able to explain the course of delivery to a parturient woman and her family 4 3 2 1 Not applicable 113.3. Able to respond to a parturient women and their family according to the course of delivery 4 3 2 1 Not applicable Midwifery in Japan 13
5. Midwifery Practice 1) Importance of Care by Midwives Midwives must respect the wishes of the pregnant women and their families, and support them so that they can enjoy good health, safe delivery, and successfully transition to parenthood. Therefore, midwives must be able to make accurate diagnosis and offer appropriate care, and empathetically share both joy and sorrow together with their patients. In addition, besides supporting women during delivery, with respect for women s reproductive health rights, it is vital that midwives continue to provide comprehensive measures to support women s health throughout their lifetime. JNA is developing a project with an aim to providing midwifery care to all pregnant women, those in the puerperium, and newborns. As part of this project, the Guidelines for Applying a Practical Midwifery Competency Ladder (Clinical Ladder) was developed as a tool for midwives to evaluate their own midwifery capacity. Using the tool, midwives can objectively evaluate their own midwifery experience, and understand their own level on the Clinical Ladder. Up until now, only a few hospitals have created their own clinical ladders. However, developing a standardized version of the Clinical Ladder to help evaluate the midwifery competency level of Japanese midwives anywhere in Japan, has been a revolutionary movement. It is of hope that the use of Clinical Ladder will spread ubiquitously to improve midwives skills in the future. 2) Roles of Midwives in Re-modeling of Perinatal Medical Service System Following the recent decrease in the number of facilities dealing with childbirths and obstetricians/gynecologists, ensuring safe and secure childbirth places is an urgent issue. Under such circumstances, midwives are expected to play more important roles than ever. The MHLW formulated the Vision for Securing Safe and Desired Medical In-Hospital Midwife-Led Care System 26) Care in June 2008 25), stipulating that The in-hospital midwife-led care system is a system to effectively physicians and nursing staff should more utilize midwives. The In-hospital midwifery clinic and the Inhospital midwifery care make up the nursing/midwifery system closely cooperate, and that under such cooperation midwives can exercise their in which midwives take the initiative in providing antenatal health expertise for safe and secure childbirth. check-ups, childbirth support, and health guidance at hospitals and Since 2008, the Ministry has been clinics. operating the grant project for trainings for In-hospital Midwifery Clinic midwives etc., and facility improvement for An outpatient service where midwives provide health check-ups the purpose of establishing the in-hospital and health guidance to pregnant and postpartum women. midwifery care and the in-hospital In-hospital Midwifery Care midwifery clinic as a system in which The method and the system allow midwives to provide midwives provide midwifery care on their independent midwifery care to pregnant women admitted for own initiative. delivery, and to mothers and children after delivery, especially for In the past, the outpatient system low-risk deliveries which can be assisted by midwives. in which midwives take the initiative in Japanese Nursing Association, February 2009 providing health check-ups and health guidance for pregnant women and the In-Hospital Midwife-Led Care System (IHMLCS) Obstetric Outpatient Service Collaboration In-hospital Midwifery Clinic In-hospital Midwifery Care Unit Collaboration Obstetrics/and Gynecology ward Obstetrics unit Fig. 7: In-Hospital Midwife- Led Care System 26) 14 Midwifery in Japan
Pregnant women Obstetrics Outpatient Service Health check-up by a physician Health guidance by a midwife Pregnancy check-ups at various stages Risk assessment Needs identification of the pregnant woman and the family Obstetrics Outpatient Service Health check-up by a physician Health guidance by a midwife Risks increase/decrease In-hospital Midwifery Clinic Health check-up and health guidance by a midwife Labor Physician-led Birth Assistance Care provided by a midwife Risks increase Midwife-led Birth Assistance In-hospital midwifery care Postpartum Diagnosis/ Treatment by a physician Report to the physician Assistance for Physician Postpartum Midwifery Care Health check-ups and health guidance of mothers and children by a midwife Obstetrics Outpatient Service Pediatrics Outpatient Service Postnatal health check-up Midwifery outpatient service Health check-ups and health guidance of mothers and children by a midwife Childrearing Childrearing Assistance Telephone counseling Home-visits, Konnichiwa Akachan (Hello baby) project Breastfeeding consultation service Fig. 8: Provision of Care by Obstetric Medical Care Team depending on the risk 26) system in which midwives provide birth assistance services in hospitals and medical clinics as they have usually been doing in maternity homes were operated depending on pregnant and parturient women s risks. JNA has placed these two systems as in-hospital midwifery clinic and in-hospital midwifery care respectively under the In-hospital midwifeled care system. In this system, midwives provide the necessary care to pregnant and parturient women depending on their risks in cooperation with physicians at medical institutions. 3) The System Implementation at Facilities The number of facilities implementing the in-hospital midwifery clinic and the in-hospital midwifery care tends to increase following the trends toward re-modeling of perinatal medical care system. The increase of these facilities is also led by the national government s financial support concerning improvement of facilities/ equipment for implementation of the in-hospital midwifery clinic or in-hospital midwifery care and conduct on training. In each facility, midwives, physicians, and the relevant staff are preparing for the in-hospital midwifery clinic and the in-hospital midwifery care in cooperation so that they can be operated depending on the community needs and the roles of the facility. Midwives are providing proactive care mainly to low risk pregnant/ parturient women. Regarding high risk pregnant/ parturient women, they are providing midwifery care in cooperation with physicians depending on their conditions. The criteria of reporting to the physician for changes in pregnant/ parturient women s risk level is set through discussion by midwives and physicians in the facility based on the guidelines indicated by Health and Labour Sciences Research Grant. Midwifery in Japan 15
Maternal Check-ups at In- Hospital Midwifery Clinic Midwife Performing Ultrasound Midwife Counseling Mothers Childbirth Support at In- Hospital Midwifery Care 16 Midwifery in Japan
Ⅲ. Recent Topics Requiring Special Attention 1. Guide for Protocol Development for Delivery Facilities During Disasters 27) In order to share the lessons learnt from the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, JNA visited the affected areas and conducted an investigation to grasp the conditions of the delivery facilities of the affected areas, and held a symposium to present our findings. Survey results of the delivery facilities suggested that only a few facilities had manuals for dealing with child delivery during disasters. Since such manuals were intended for the entire medical facility, they only dealt with general, unspecialized procedures for how a hospital should act during an emergency. JNA created a Guide for protocol development for delivery facilities during disasters in 2013, to provide specific ideas and guidance to delivery facilities when they prepare a disaster management manual. The Executive Director in charge of midwifery (the second from the right) and staff of Midwives Division hold the guide 2. Temporary Transfer System of Midwives JNA proposes a temporary transfer system of midwives as a system that contributes to correcting the uneven distribution of midwives, and possibly strengthening midwives practical skills. In the temporary transfer system of midwives, a midwife is transferred to a remote facility as a midwife for approximately half a year to one year while being under the employment contract with the original employer. In addition to amending the uneven distribution of midwives, the system can contribute to the local community by providing midwifery care to all pregnant/postpartum women in need. Strengthening midwives practical skills through practice in normal child delivery assistance is another one of the system s objectives. Utilization of Temporary Transfer System of Midwives Formulation and utilization of standard midwives clinical ladder Promote Visualizes midwives ability Leveling the quality of midwifery care Making the acceptance and dispatch of midwives easier for clinics and hospitals during clinical training and transfers. Knowing what and to what extent of midwifery care an individual self (or others) can perform. Utilizing temporary transfer system or ordinary transfer aimed for efficient development of abilities. Possible without placing a burden on each other s facilities. Acquiring skills through collaboration of facilities with different characteristics. Promote Utilization of a temporary transfer system Clinics Hospitals Strengthening and supporting maternity care skills Strengthening and supporting the professional autonomy Fig.9: Utilization of Temporary Transfer System of Midwives Midwifery in Japan 17
3. Other Topics 1) Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Since the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy advocated the global criteria for diagnosing gestational diabetes mellitus in 2009, the definition and diagnostic criteria for gestational diabetes mellitus were also revised in Japan in July 2010. The introduction of the new diagnostic criteria is said to have increased the incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus 4-fold, from 2.92% to 12.08%. Considering the risks of gestational diabetes mellitus on the fetus, however, the new diagnostic criteria are important for safer perinatal management of the mother and child. Since midwives are professionals who can provide appropriate assistance during each period of pregnancy, they can promote both maternal health as well as the health of the babies to be born, making their contribution to society significant. 2) HTLV-1 HTLV-1 is a virus called Human T-cell Leukemia Virus Type 1. It is considered to cause adult T-cell leukemia, HTLV-1-associated myelopathy, and other diseases. Although the presence of the virus is not necessarily accompanied by visible symptoms, one in every 1,000 persons develops adult T-cell leukemia. In Japan, approximately 1% of the population are said to be carriers of the virus. It was found that when a mother has HTLV-1, her baby can also be infected with HTLV-1 through breast milk. The possibility of infection in case of long-term breast feeding is 15% - 20%, and even for babies who are not breastfed a possibility of infection is approximately 3%. Although a preventive method of freezing breast milk at -20 C before feeding has been proposed, there are still no absolute preventive measures. In Japan, the HTLV-1 Antibody Test has been added to the standardized test items of health check-ups for pregnant women since 2012. Accordingly, there are women who find out that they are carriers for the first time when they are pregnant. Midwives are expected to provide HTLV-1 carrier mothers with various assistances, including consultation on feeding methods and supporting their mental health. 3) Handbook for Introducing Unit Management of a Mixed-Divisions Ward for Maternity and Other Patients 28) The number of child delivery facilities is decreasing, partly due to the decrease in the number of children born and the lack of obstetricians. Medical より 充 実 した institutions handling fewer cases of child delivery are forced to hospitalize 母 子 のケアのために 産 科 混 合 病 棟 maternity patients with patients from diferent divisions in the same ward (Mixeddivisions ward) Accordingly, newborns are facing a higher risk of infection. JNA ユニット マネジメント formulated a Handbook for Introducing Unit Management of a Mixed-Divisions 導 入 の 手 引 き Ward for Maternity and Other Patients in September 2013, and it suggests that the staff should form isolated clusters to take care of maternity patients in the mixeddivisions ward. The handbook was distributed nationwide to approximately C O NTE NTS 1 産 科 混 合 病 棟 の 現 況 5 2,700 institutions handling child delivery. Through exchange meetings between 2 ユニットマネジメントの 提 案 10 事 例 から 学 ぶ 3 12 obstetrics managers and seminars on the basics of obstetrics management, the ユニットマネジメントへの 道 4 産 科 病 棟 に 必 要 な 助 産 師 の 人 数 15 idea of forming isolated clusters for maternity patients has spread. The association will make further efforts to familiarize a wider range of people with the idea, so that it can contribute to improve the current system to provide a better child Handbook for Introducing Unit Management of a Mixed-Divisions Ward for Maternity and delivery environment. other Patients 28) 18 Midwifery in Japan
References 1) MHLW, Population Survey (2005 2006 2009) 2) Mothers and Children s Health and Welfare Association, Maternal and Child Health (2007 2009) 3) MHLW, Annual Health, Labour and Welfare Report (2007) 4) Health, Labour and Welfare Statistics Association, Journal of Health and Welfare Statistics, (2013/2014 Vo.60 No.9) 5) MHLW, Annual Health, Labour and Welfare Report (2013) 6) MHLW, Population Survey (2005, 2006, 2009, 2012) 7) Mothers and Children s Health and Welfare Association, Maternal and Child Health Statistics of Japan (2007 2009 2012) 8) Health, Labour and Welfare Statistics Association, Journal of Health and Welfare Statistics, (2010/2011 Vol.57 No.9) 9) Health, Labour and Welfare Statistics Association, Journal of Health and Welfare Statistics, (2010/2011 Vol.57 No.9, 2013/2014 Vo.60 No.9) 10) Study Group for Evaluation, etc. of Sukoyaka Oyako 21 (2010), Report of the 2nd Interim Appraisal of Sukoyaka Oyako 21, Final Report for Evaluation of Sukoyaka Oyako 21 (2013) 11) Public Health Nursing in Japan, Misako Miyazaki, et al, Japanese Nursing Association Publishing Company (2012) 12) Mother and Child Health Organization Website http://www.mcfh.co.jp/items/detail/72 13) MHLW Website, Outline of Home-visit Guidance Project for All Infants, accessed January 2014, http://www.mhlw.go.jp/bunya/kodomo/kosodate12/01.html 14) MHLW Website, the Maternity Logo, http://www.mhlw.go.jp/houdou/2006/03/h0301-1.html#betten2 15) International Confederation of Midwives, The Definition of the Midwife (2011) 16) MHLW Website, Definition of the Midwifery Home, accessed January 2014, http://www.mhlw.go.jp/shingi/2005/06/s0608-11/2a.html 17) Japanese Nursing Association Publishing Company, Statistical Data on Nursing Service in Japan (2012) 18) Nursing Issues Study Group (ed.), Statistical Data on Nursing Service in Japan (1981 1986 1991 1997 2000 2003 2004), Japanese Nursing Association Publishing Company, Statistical Data on Nursing Service in Japan (2010 2011 2012 2013) 19) MHLW, Guidelines on the Management of Nursing Educational Institutions (2009) 20) Japanese Nursing Association, Training Guide for New Graduate Midwives (2012) 21) Japanese Nursing Association, Guidelines for Applying a Practical Midwifery Competency Ladder (Clinical Ladder) (2012) 22) Nursing Issues Study Group (ed.), Statistical Data on Nursing Service in Japan (1983 1989 1998 2006), Japanese Nursing Association Publishing Company, Statistical Data on Nursing Service in Japan (2007 2009 2011 2012 2013) 23) Midwives Division of JNA, Evaluation of the Quality of Midwifery Care at Medical Facilities: Evaluation Criteria for Self- Check, 1st version (2003) 24) Midwives Division of JNA, Evaluation of the Quality of Midwifery Care at Medical Facilities: Evaluation Criteria for Self- Check, 2nd version (2007) 25) MHLW, Vision for Securing Safe and Desired Medical Care (2008) 26) Japanese Nursing Association, Report of FY2008 Project of In-Hospital Midwife-Led Care System Promotion (2009) 27) Japanese Nursing Association, Guide for Protocol Development for Delivery Facilities During Disasters(2013) 28) Japanese Nursing Association, Handbook for Introducing Unit Management of a Mixed-Divisions Ward for Maternity and Other Patients (2013) *Resources listed above are available only in Japanese. *Data are accessed in and valid as of March, 2014. Midwifery in Japan 19
Midwives Division Department of Health Promotion Policy Japanese Nursing Association 5-8-2 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo, 150-0001 JAPAN URL: http://www.nurse.or.jp/jna/english/ E-mail: josanshi@nurse.or.jp Publication year: 2014 No part of this publication may be reproduced or copied in any form without the advance written permission of the Japanese Nursing Association. Short excerpts (under 300 words) may be reproduced without authorization, as long as the source is clearly indicated. Photos by courtesy of Aiiku Hospital, Kyorin University Hospital and Japanese Red Cross Medical Center 20 Midwifery in Japan