Midwifery Department

Overview

The Midwifery Department at the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, is committed to educating knowledgeable, skilled, and compassionate midwives who can provide high-quality, evidence-based care for women throughout the reproductive life cycle.

Midwifery is a vital health profession that promotes the health and well-being of women, mothers, newborns, and families. It encompasses care before conception, during pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum recovery, and reproductive health counseling. The department prepares students to deliver safe, respectful, and woman-centered care while supporting normal physiological processes and recognizing situations that require timely medical intervention.

Through academic instruction, simulation-based learning, and supervised clinical training, the department aims to develop competent professionals capable of contributing to maternal and neonatal health at both individual and community levels, while also strengthening the role of midwives in encouraging healthy childbearing and supporting family well-being in line with national population policies.

Mission

To educate competent and ethical midwives who can provide comprehensive, woman-centered, and evidence-based care in the areas of pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum care, neonatal care, and reproductive health, while promoting informed decision-making about marriage, fertility, and healthy childbearing in accordance with national population policies.

Vision

To become a leading academic center in midwifery education, research, and professional practice, recognized for promoting maternal and newborn health and advancing women’s health services, as well as reinforcing the professional role of midwives in supporting healthy childbearing and population youthfulness initiatives.

Core Values

  • Respect for women’s dignity, rights, and choices
  • Safe motherhood and newborn care
  • Evidence-based and ethical practice
  • Woman-centered and family-centered care
  • Health promotion and disease prevention
  • Professional accountability and compassion
  • Cultural sensitivity and effective communication

Educational Scope

1. Foundations of Midwifery

Students learn the scientific and professional foundations of midwifery, including:

  • Female reproductive anatomy and physiology
  • Embryology and fetal development
  • Principles of pregnancy and childbirth
  • Maternal adaptation to pregnancy
  • Basics of reproductive and sexual health
  • Ethics and professional roles in midwifery
  • The role of midwives in promoting healthy childbearing and fertility awareness

2. Antenatal Care

Training in antenatal care includes:

  • Assessment and monitoring of maternal health
  • Prenatal counseling and education
  • Nutritional care during pregnancy
  • Identification of high-risk pregnancy signs
  • Health promotion and preventive screening
  • Preparation for labor, birth, and parenthood
  • Counseling to support healthy pregnancy and childbearing
  • Education and counseling to encourage safe and healthy childbearing in line with national population health priorities

3. Intrapartum Care

Students develop competencies in labor and birth care, including:

  • Monitoring labor progress
  • Assessment of maternal and fetal well-being
  • Support for normal vaginal birth
  • Pain management during labor
  • Assistance in obstetric procedures
  • Recognition of labor complications such as dystocia and timely referral

4. Postpartum and Newborn Care

The department emphasizes essential care for mothers and newborns after birth, such as:

  • Postpartum maternal assessment
  • Breastfeeding support and education
  • Monitoring postpartum recovery
  • Newborn assessment and routine care
  • Recognition of maternal and neonatal complications
  • Promotion of mother–infant bonding
  • Counseling families on maternal recovery, newborn care, and readiness for future healthy childbearing

5. Reproductive and Women’s Health

Students are also trained in broader aspects of women’s health, including:

  • Family planning and contraceptive counseling
  • Menstrual and reproductive health education
  • Screening and prevention of reproductive health disorders
  • Menopause and women’s health concerns
  • Sexual health counseling
  • Community-based women’s health promotion
  • Fertility counseling and education aimed at supporting informed and healthy childbearing decisions

6. Midwifery Emergencies and Risk Management

Educational preparation includes recognition and initial management of urgent maternal and neonatal conditions such as:

  • Postpartum hemorrhage
  • Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy
  • Fetal distress
  • Dystocia
  • Infection and sepsis
  • Neonatal distress and resuscitation principles

Clinical Education & Training Sites

Students complete supervised clinical education in affiliated teaching hospitals, maternity units, and community health settings, including:

  • Antenatal clinics
  • Labor and delivery units
  • Postpartum wards
  • Newborn care settings
  • Women’s health and maternal counseling clinics
  • Community maternal health centers

Clinical training enables students to:

  • Conduct maternal and fetal assessments
  • Assist women during labor and birth
  • Provide postpartum care and breastfeeding support
  • Deliver newborn care and family education
  • Recognize complications and collaborate in referral and emergency management
  • Provide counseling that supports healthy fertility attitudes and responsible childbearing decisions

Simulation-based education and skills laboratories further strengthen students’ readiness for safe clinical practice.

Research and Scholarly Activities

The Midwifery Department supports scholarly work and research in areas such as:

  • Maternal health promotion
  • Safe childbirth practices
  • Breastfeeding and postpartum care
  • Reproductive health education
  • Family planning and fertility health
  • Prevention of maternal and neonatal complications
  • Women’s health across the lifespan
  • Community-based maternal and child health interventions
  • Research on factors influencing fertility, childbearing intentions, and policies related to population youthfulness

Students are encouraged to engage in evidence-based inquiry and research that contributes to improved maternal and newborn outcomes.

Community Engagement

The department actively contributes to community health through:

  • Prenatal and parenting education programs
  • Breastfeeding promotion initiatives
  • Reproductive health counseling
  • Family planning education
  • Women’s health awareness campaigns
  • Community support for maternal and newborn well-being
  • Public education and counseling programs that encourage healthy childbearing and strengthen awareness of family well-being in line with national population policies

These activities reflect the department’s role in strengthening maternal and reproductive health services beyond the classroom and hospital environment.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of midwifery may pursue careers in areas such as:

  • Hospital maternity and labor units
  • Antenatal and postpartum care services
  • Community maternal health centers
  • Maternal and reproductive health clinics
  • Childbirth education and counseling
  • Women’s health promotion programs
  • Academic teaching and clinical instruction
  • Research in maternal, newborn, and reproductive health

Why Midwifery Matters

Midwifery plays a crucial role in protecting and improving the health of women, mothers, newborns, and families.

Midwives contribute by:

  • Supporting safe and respectful childbirth
  • Promoting healthy pregnancy and postpartum recovery
  • Protecting newborn well-being
  • Educating women and families about reproductive health and healthy childbearing
  • Recognizing complications early and facilitating timely intervention
  • Strengthening maternal and child health at community and national levels
  • Encouraging informed, healthy, and timely childbearing as part of broader efforts to support family health and national population goals

By preparing skilled and compassionate midwives, the department helps advance safer motherhood, healthier newborns, and stronger families.