Midwifery in NIS and CCEE.

The need for more information about maternal and infant health services in the newly independent states and countries of central and eastern Europe was highlighted by the WHO Regional Office for Europe in 2001.

The response was a research project in the form of a survey carried out by Francis Day-Stirk and Louise Palmer of the WHO Collabora-ting Centre for Midwifery at the Royal College of Midwives in the UK. Their report--Profiling midwifery in the newly independent states and countries of central and eastern Europe--is available from the WHO office (details below).

Sections of the questionnaire, sent to heads of nursing or midwifery at ministry level in 26 countries, elicited information under the headings:

* Professionals responsible for maternity care

* National establishment and status of midwifery

* Birth statistics

* Role, nature and sphere of practice

* Organisation of midwifery care

* Midwifery legislation and regulation

* National policy and formulation

* Local accountability and responsibility

* Midwifery organisations

* Midwifery education

The report gives a profile for each...