ABSTRACT
These decisions may include the use of complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) for general health during pregnancy as well as pregnancy-related health complaints. While the Davis-Floyd model does not link specific paradigms to any one health profession, in this chapter explores the evidence underpinning any such relationships. The chapter focuses on obstetricians and midwives, and examining the potential role of these conventional health care providers in women's use of CIM during pregnancy, labour and birth. A study of a large, nationally representative sample of Australian women who had recently given birth was published in 2012 and provided the first examination of consultancy patterns across conventional maternity care providers and CIM practitioners during pregnancy. This finding supports previous research identifying midwives as a popular source of CIM information for pregnant women and often encouraging CIM use for women in their care. The study findings illustrate the inconsistent relationship between the available clinical evidence and the CIM practitioners used by pregnant women.
