Norwegian midwives’ experiences of relational continuity of midwifery care in the primary healthcare service: A qualitative descriptive study

Abstract

The World Health Organization recommends that all countries with a well-developed midwifery service offer a midwifery-based practice formed on relational continuity of care. Pregnant women in Norway have stated that they experience the service throughout the childbearing process as fragmented. The present study aimed to gain knowledge about how midwives working in the primary healthcare service experience relational continuity of midwifery care and what challenges they encounter. In-depth interviews were conducted with 10 midwives working in different public health clinics in Norway. The qualitative data were carefully analysed using systematic text condensation. The COREQ checklist was applied. The participants indicated the importance of providing individualised midwifery care by meeting the women early in pregnancy and establishing a mutual relationship built on trust and safety. This helped ease the midwife’s work. The midwives expressed a desire for continuity in the follow-up of the women, but this was not always possible due to a lack of capacity. This study shows that relational continuity of midwifery care is important to midwives working in the primary healthcare service. The midwives wanted a midwifery-led practice that would allow them to lead their profession and use their full expertise. To achieve relational continuity in the primary healthcare service, the informants declared the importance of management seeing the midwives’ potential.