Medical/technocratic model | Midwifery/holistic/social model |
---|---|
Doctor centred | Woman centred |
Obstetrics: experts in pathology | Midwifery: experts in normal physiology |
Body-mind dualism; classifying, separating | Holistic; integrating approach |
Pregnancy is a medical condition, inherently pathological | Pregnancy is a normal human state, inherently healthy |
Birth is only normal in retrospect and requires hospitalisation and medical supervision | Birth is normal physiological, social & cultural process with environment key |
Technology dominant | Technology cautious |
Risk selection is not possible, but risk is central | Risk selection is possible & appropriate |
Statistical/biological approach | Individual/psycho-social approach |
Biomedical focus | Psycho-social focus |
Medical knowledge is privileged & exclusionary | Experiential & emotional knowledge valued |
Intervention | Observation |
Outcome: aims at live, healthy mother and baby. | Outcome: aims at live, healthy mother and baby and satisfaction of individual needs of mother/couple. |