Hand washing

Handwashing. Image by kokopinto. Second Life build by Aaron Griffiths for the SLENZ project. CC By

One of the most important things a midwife can do in her practice is careful, frequent handwashing. This helps to prevent fatal conditions such as puerperal fever. Whilst modern medications can used used to successfully treat puerperal fever, it still is a significant cause of maternal death, both in industrialized and developing countries.

Johnson, R., & Taylor, W. (2006). Skills for midwifery practice. Elsevier:London. Accessed 30 March, 2009, at http://books.google.com/books?id=KzK_eSZt5E0C&printsec=frontcover

McIntosh, C. (2008). How and why to wash your hands. Accessed 30 March, 2009, at http://mymidiblog.blogspot.com/2008/01/how-and-why-to-wash-your-hands.html

McIntosh, C. (2008). Keeping it clean in midwifery practice. Accessed 30 March, 2009, at http://mymidiblog.blogspot.com/2008/01/keeping-it-clean-in-midwifery-practice.html