The Dutch maternity care system is a fascinating field for sociological research combining as it does low-technology, midwife-assisted home births with state of the art, high technology in regional hospitals. In an age of high cost medicine this system is unique: it keeps costs down while consistently delivering one of the world's lowest perinatal mortality rates. To date no one has explained why midwife-assisted home births persisted in the Netherlands (while every other modern, industrialized nation moved away from home birth), nor has there been careful study of how the Dutch method of delivering maternity care evolved. Using archival data along with interviews and observation, my sociological analysis of Dutch maternity care will improve our understanding of the social shaping of medical systems and will offer specific guidelines for the reform of maternity care in the United States. On the recommendation of my foreign sponsor, I will make three visits to Holland: an initial three month visit for gathering statistical data and arranging interviews; a second (six month) visit to conduct interviews and make observations; and a final (three month) visit to do necessary follow-up and to allow close collaboration in writing.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Fogarty International Center (FIC)
Type
Unknown (F06)
Project #
5F06TW001954-03
Application #
2292442
Study Section
Physiological Sciences Study Section (PSF)
Project Start
1996-04-16
Project End
Budget Start
1995-05-15
Budget End
1995-08-14
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
1995
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
St. Olaf College
Department
Social Sciences
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
041201070
City
Northfield
State
MN
Country
United States
Zip Code
55057
Wrede, Sirpa; Benoit, Cecilia; Bourgeault, Ivy Lynn et al. (2006) Decentred comparative research: Context sensitive analysis of maternal health care. Soc Sci Med 63:2986-97
Benoit, Cecilia; Wrede, Sirpa; Bourgeault, Ivy et al. (2005) Understanding the social organisation of maternity care systems: midwifery as a touchstone. Sociol Health Illn 27:722-37
Devries, Raymond G (2004) The warp of evidence-based medicine: lessons from Dutch maternity care. Int J Health Serv 34:595-623
DeVries, R (2001) Midwifery in The Netherlands: vestige or vanguard? Med Anthropol 20:277-311