The Midwives' Cauldron

Vaginal Examinations

Katie James and Dr Rachel Reed Season 4 Episode 10

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On this episode of the Midwives Cauldron, it’s just me and Rachel hanging out and stirring the pot discussing vaginal examinations (VE's)!

  • We take a step back in history to look at how midwives originally used vaginal examination during labour and for what purpose
  • We look at current guidelines 
  • Rachel goes on her history trail for us to find the original research which guidelines are based on
  • We talk about said research, the risks of vaginal examinations 
  • Language midwives could use to discuss VEs in preparation for labour
  • The importance of talking about vaginal examinations during the antenatal phase
  • How mainstream media influences us into thinking that vaginal examinations are an important part of our labour
  • How medical birth needs a different assessment from physiological birth
  • I ask whether there should ever be a timeline set in length for a labour 
  • We question how students can learn the skill of vaginal examinations if we “shouldn’t be doing as many as we are” 
  • And Rachel teaches me the word furtle! 

All this and more on this episode of The Midwives’ Cauldron

 

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