The psychological impact of working as a midwife in Australia: Findings from a scoping review.

Small, K; Warton, C; Fenwick, J; Baird, K; Bradfield, Z; Homer, C

The psychological impact of working as a midwife in Australia: Findings from a scoping review.

Small, K Warton, C Fenwick, J

Baird, K

Bradfield, Z Homer, C

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Publisher:: ELSEVIER SCI LTD
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Midwifery, 2025, 145, pp. 104377
Issue Date:: 2025-06

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Small, K
dc.contributor.author	Warton, C
dc.contributor.author	Fenwick, J https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3556-1193
dc.contributor.author	Baird, K https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0142-6962
dc.contributor.author	Bradfield, Z
dc.contributor.author	Homer, C https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7454-3011
dc.date.accessioned	2025-09-18T04:09:24Z
dc.date.available	2025-03-11
dc.date.available	2025-09-18T04:09:24Z
dc.date.issued	2025-06
dc.identifier.citation	Midwifery, 2025, 145, pp. 104377
dc.identifier.issn	0266-6138
dc.identifier.issn	1532-3099
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/189958
dc.description.abstract	BACKGROUND: Burnout, stress, trauma and other psychological health issues are major drivers of attrition, absenteeism, and reduced workplace engagement for midwives. Given the central roles midwives play in providing quality maternity care, it is important to monitor the mental and emotional health of midwives and to understand factors that are associated with a higher or lower incidence of problems. The aim of this review was to report on empirical literature pertaining to the psychological impact of midwifery work for midwives working in Australia. METHODS: The Joanna Briggs scoping review methodology was used. MEDLINE, Embase, Emcare, Maternity & Infant Care Datacare, CINAHL and SCOPUS were searched to identify research pertaining to the psychological impact of midwifery work for Australian midwives. RESULTS: A total of 26 papers met inclusion criteria. Midwifery work in Australia carried a significant psychological burden, with high rates of burnout, emotional exhaustion, depression, anxiety, and stress. Most midwives had witnessed traumatic events. Working in continuity of midwifery carer models was associated with lower rates of mental health concerns, while younger midwives and those with fewer years in the workforce were negatively impacted. DISCUSSION: Midwives in Australia are impacted significantly by their work; especially by burnout, the impact of witnessing traumatic events, depression, stress and anxiety, and moral distress. Midwifery continuity of carer models were protective for psychological impacts. CONCLUSIONS: Effective workplace interventions to better support the midwifery workforce, including access to continuity models, are required to sustain Australia's high quality maternity care system.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	ELSEVIER SCI LTD
dc.relation.ispartof	Midwifery
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.midw.2025.104377
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	1110 Nursing, 1114 Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine, 1117 Public Health and Health Services
dc.subject.classification	Nursing
dc.subject.classification	3215 Reproductive medicine
dc.subject.classification	4204 Midwifery
dc.subject.classification	4205 Nursing
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	Burnout, Professional
dc.subject.mesh	Nurse Midwives
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Workplace
dc.subject.mesh	Midwifery
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Burnout, Professional
dc.subject.mesh	Midwifery
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Nurse Midwives
dc.subject.mesh	Workplace
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	Burnout, Professional
dc.subject.mesh	Nurse Midwives
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Workplace
dc.subject.mesh	Midwifery
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.title	The psychological impact of working as a midwife in Australia: Findings from a scoping review.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	145
utslib.location.activity	Scotland
utslib.for	1110 Nursing
utslib.for	1114 Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/School of Nursing and Midwifery
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/UTS Groups
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/UTS Groups/Women & Children’s Health Research Collaborative (WCHC)
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/UTS Groups/INSIGHT: Institute for Innovative Solutions for Wellbeing and Health
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2025-09-18T04:09:23Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	145

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Burnout, stress, trauma and other psychological health issues are major drivers of attrition, absenteeism, and reduced workplace engagement for midwives. Given the central roles midwives play in providing quality maternity care, it is important to monitor the mental and emotional health of midwives and to understand factors that are associated with a higher or lower incidence of problems. The aim of this review was to report on empirical literature pertaining to the psychological impact of midwifery work for midwives working in Australia. METHODS: The Joanna Briggs scoping review methodology was used. MEDLINE, Embase, Emcare, Maternity & Infant Care Datacare, CINAHL and SCOPUS were searched to identify research pertaining to the psychological impact of midwifery work for Australian midwives. RESULTS: A total of 26 papers met inclusion criteria. Midwifery work in Australia carried a significant psychological burden, with high rates of burnout, emotional exhaustion, depression, anxiety, and stress. Most midwives had witnessed traumatic events. Working in continuity of midwifery carer models was associated with lower rates of mental health concerns, while younger midwives and those with fewer years in the workforce were negatively impacted. DISCUSSION: Midwives in Australia are impacted significantly by their work; especially by burnout, the impact of witnessing traumatic events, depression, stress and anxiety, and moral distress. Midwifery continuity of carer models were protective for psychological impacts. CONCLUSIONS: Effective workplace interventions to better support the midwifery workforce, including access to continuity models, are required to sustain Australia's high quality maternity care system.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/189958