La profession de sage-femme autonomie au travail et corporatisme protectionniste

Abstract

The profession of midwife In France, the profession of midwife has the legal status of a medical profession. The majority of midwives are salaried and work in hospitals with doctors. The environment in which they carry out their duties has become more and more technical and "medicalised" thus rendering autonomous practice problematic. This is due to, on one hand the supervising presence of doctors and on the other hand, the relational aspects of their duties, which they deem of upmost importance, which are not officially recognised. Nevertheless midwives form a thriving and developing profession, many young recruits having joined the profession in recent years. In spite of the fact that midwifery schools are controled by doctors, midwives continue to defend the independent nature of their profession. Their arguments to support this view are based, not, on their technical expertise, but rather reside in the fact that the state has laid down precise regulations defining their professional duties.