Accessibility statement

Universal Midwifery Care: Intrapartum - HEA00080C

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  • Department: Health Sciences
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: C
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2024-25 to Semester 2 2024-25

Module aims

Note: This document uses the word 'women’ throughout. This should be taken to include people who do not identify as women but are pregnant or who have given birth.

  • Develop a rigorous, evidence based understanding of universal midwifery care for women and families during the intrapartum period.

  • Evaluate the midwife’s role providing universal care for women, birthing people and families within the intrapartum period, including:

    • public health, health promotion and health protection

    • assessment, screening and care planning

    • optimising normal physiological processes

    • working to promote positive outcomes and prevent complications.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate a rigorous, evidence based understanding of universal midwifery care for women and families during the intrapartum period.

  2. Evaluate the midwife’s role providing universal care for women and families within the intrapartum period, with a focus on:

    • public health, health promotion and health protection

    • assessment, screening and care planning

    • on optimising normal physiological processes

    • working to promote positive outcomes and prevent complications.

  3. Evaluate evidence-based knowledge aligned to the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) topics mapped to this module.

Module content

Content includes: anatomy and physiology of relevant body systems for women and newborn infants including normal changes during uncomplicated intrapartum/immediately following birth/during immediate postnatal periods & optimisation of normal physiological processes; contemporary universal midwifery care for the intrapartum period (knowledge, clinical skills (including simulation), role of the midwife within UK maternity care); the midwife’s role in intrapartum assessment, screening and care planning; public health, health promotion and health protection; supporting and promoting individual needs; parent/infant attachment; introductions to pharmacology and principles of safe and effective administration of prescription and non-prescription medicines; technological literacy; numeracy skills; introduction to safemedicate; infection prevention; antimicrobial resistance and stewardship; themes within UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) University Standards mapped to this module including relevant anatomy and physiology and supporting a good start to breastfeeding; academic integrity & introduction to Turnitin; academic skills including literature searching and reference management; poster/leaflet design.

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Special assessment rules

Non-compensatable

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Module feedback

Written feedback for the summative assessment is provided on the standard proforma, within the timescale specified in the programme handbook.

Indicative reading

Baston, H. and Hall, J. (2017). Midwifery essentials volume 3 - labour. Edinburgh: Elsevier.

Chapman, V. and Charles, C. (2018). The midwife's labour and birth handbook. (4th ed). Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.

Coad, J., Pedley, K. and Dunstall, M. (2019) Anatomy and physiology for midwives. (4th ed). Edinburgh: Elsevier.

Davy, S. and Houghton, D. (2020). The midwife's pocket formulary. (4th ed). Edinburgh: Elsevier.

Esegbona-Adeigbe, S. (2022). Transcultural midwifery practice: concepts, care and challenges. (1st ed). Edinburgh: Elsevier.

Johnson, R. and Taylor, W. (2021). Skills for Midwifery Practice. (5th ed). Edinburgh: Elsevier.

Jowitt, M. (2020). Dynamic positions in birth: a fresh look at how women's bodies work in labour. (2nd ed). London: Pinter & Martin.

Macdonald, S. and Johnson, G. (2023). Mayes Midwifery. (16th ed). Edinburgh: Elsevier.

Marshall, J. E. and Raynor, M. D. (Eds). (2020). Myles textbook for midwives. (17th ed). Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.

Meddings. N. (2020). Why home birth matters. London: Pinter & Martin.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence [NICE] ( 2017). Intrapartum care for healthy women and babies care. Clinical guideline [CG190]. [Online] Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg190 [Accessed 11 March 2022].

Paz Miranda, M. and Barnard, S M. (Eds). (2020). Waterbirth stories: midwifery reflections. Abingdon: Routledge.

Pilley Edwards, N. (2019). Birthing your baby - the second stage of labour. Edinburgh: Birth Practice and Politics Forum.

Reed, B. (2016.) Birth in Focus: stories and photos to inform, educate and inspire. London: Pinter & Martin.

safeMedicate. (2022). What is safeMedicate? [Online]. Available at: https://www.safemedicate.com/ [Accessed 11 March 2022].

Tiran, D. (2020). Using natural remedies safely in pregnancy and childbirth. London: Singing Dragon.

UNICEF UK. (2022). The Baby Friendly Initiative. [Online]. Available at: https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/ [Accessed 11 March 2022].

University of York. (2022). Reference management: a practical guide. [Online]. Available at: https://subjectguides.york.ac.uk/reference-management [Accessed 11 March 2022).



The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.