Presentation Information

Hormonal Physiology of Childbearing

• Speaker: Dr. Sarah Buckley , M.B, Ch.B; Dip Obst
• Presentation Type:
• Duration: 60 Mins
• Credits: 1 CERP, 1 ACM CPD, .1 Midwifery CEU, 1 Dietetic CEU

Abstract:

Contemporary childbearing has benefited from many medical advances, and from highly skilled and committed maternity care providers. However, current high rates of maternity care interventions may be disadvantageous for the healthy majority. This presentation summarises the healthy functioning of hormonal physiology in relation to four important hormonal systems, and the benefits of physiologic childbearing for mother and baby. It also explores the possible impacts of common maternity care practices on this hormonal physiology, including induction of labor, epidural analgesia and caesarean section, and suggest midwifery approaches that may optimise hormonal physiology when intervention are needed. Dr Buckley also considers the hormonal physiology of childbearing in relation to other models including epigenetic perspectives and the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) model. This presentation is based on Dr Buckley’s ground-breaking 2015 report Hormonal Physiology of Childbearing.