Aromatherapy in Midwifery: an Evidence-Based Assessment

Foreword by Mary Renfrew and Sheila Kitzinger Introduction Section 1 Getting started Chapter 1 Aromatherapy as a care option: background to study, professional and political context of using complementary therapies in midwifery practice, overview - sample size/time span/ profile of users/clinical area, rationale - expand current practice restraints/skill mix issues Chapter 2 Professional issues: legal requirements for NHS/Independent midwives using aromatherapy in their practice, trust/vicarious liability/RCM position statement 1999, Dual role of midwife practitioner as aromatherapist, Aroma qualifications and pitfalls of short courses plus aromatherapy re-organisation - merger of ISPA and RQA into IFA and need for recognised aromatherapy training which specifically relates to midwifery, Emergence of academic complementary therapy students, How safe is aromatherapy?, interactive effects, unwanted effects of aromatherapy Chapter 3 What oils and how to administer: essential oils chosen for the study and why, dosage with background, issues of safety and storage, modes of use and why - advantages and disadvantages/importance of appropriateness in deciding choice, issue of vaporisers etc Section 2 Clinical aromatherapy Chapter 4 Using aromatherapy to reduce anxiety/fear/pain in labour: psysiological processes involved in the anxiety-pain cycle, The study - results & discussion centered on this aspect - uptake of epidural and normal birth rates, olfaction v massage - content analysis of maternal and midwifery comments, practice implications - ideas for next steps Chapter 5 - Aromatherapy to augment labour contractions: existing evidence for how aromatherapy may enhance contractions, practice implications and potential for further work Chapter 6 - Aromatherapy to enhance well-being and alleviate nausea: discussion on lack of research in area of well-being as opposed to pain relief in labour Chapter 7 - The use of aromatherapy in a birthing p