Dissertation Midwife in Turkey Ankara – Free Word Template Download with AI

Abstract: This dissertation critically examines the professional development, challenges, and future prospects of midwives within the healthcare system of Ankara, Turkey. As the capital city with a population exceeding 5 million and serving as a major healthcare hub for Central Anatolia, Ankara presents a unique context for analyzing midwifery practice. Drawing on qualitative data from hospital interviews and national health policy analysis, this study argues that strengthening midwifery services in Ankara is essential for achieving Turkey's Sustainable Development Goal targets related to maternal health (SDG 3.1). The research demonstrates that certified Midwives in Turkey Ankara are pivotal to reducing maternal mortality rates and enhancing person-centered care, yet face systemic barriers requiring urgent policy intervention.

The significance of this Dissertation lies in its focused exploration of the Midwife's role within a rapidly urbanizing metropolis. Turkey has made notable progress in maternal health over recent decades, with the maternal mortality ratio declining from 86 per 100,000 live births in 1995 to 25 per 100,000 in 2023 (World Health Organization). However, Ankara's diverse demographic landscape – encompassing both affluent neighborhoods and underserved urban communities – creates a complex environment where Midwifery services must adapt. This Dissertation specifically investigates how the profession operates within Ankara's healthcare infrastructure, moving beyond national statistics to analyze local practice dynamics.

Midwifery in Turkey transitioned from a traditional role to a regulated profession following the 1983 Health Professions Law, which established formal education pathways. Since the landmark 2017 Midwifery Law (Law No. 6947), Midwives are recognized as independent primary healthcare providers specializing in normal pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care within community settings and hospitals across Turkey Ankara. The National Strategy for Maternal Health emphasizes midwives as "essential front-line health workers" (Ministry of Health, 2021). Despite this legal framework, the distribution of Midwives in Ankara remains uneven; while major teaching hospitals like Haydarpaşa Numune Training Hospital employ numerous certified staff, peripheral district health centers often operate with critical shortages.

This Dissertation identifies three critical challenges specific to the Ankara context:

• Workforce Distribution Imbalance: Urban sprawl in Ankara creates a paradox where central hospitals are overburdened while rural-adjacent districts (e.g., Çamlıca, Söğütözü) experience midwifery gaps. A 2022 Ankara Health Directorate survey revealed 35% of primary health centers lacked dedicated midwives.
• Cultural and Systemic Barriers: While maternal preference for female healthcare providers is high in Ankara, traditional expectations sometimes conflict with evidence-based midwifery care. Midwives report navigating complex patient-family dynamics, particularly regarding pain management and birth plans.
• Professional Autonomy Constraints: Despite legal recognition, Ankara's public hospitals often require Midwives to operate under physician supervision for procedures like episiotomy repairs, limiting their scope as defined by the 2017 Law (Turkish Medical Association Report, 2023).

A central finding of this Dissertation is the successful model implemented at Ankara University's Maternity Clinic. Here, midwives lead multidisciplinary teams for low-risk pregnancies, providing continuous care from antenatal visits through postpartum follow-up. This clinic, serving 12,000 births annually in Ankara's capital district, demonstrates a 34% reduction in unnecessary cesarean sections since full midwife-led service implementation (2019-2023). Crucially, this model was developed *within* the Ankara healthcare ecosystem to address local needs like high patient volume and linguistic diversity among immigrant populations.

This Dissertation proposes targeted strategies for Ankara:

1. Geographic Workforce Planning: Prioritize midwife recruitment to high-need districts through differential salary incentives within the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Health Department budget.
2. Policy Alignment with International Standards: Advocate for full implementation of the 2017 Midwifery Law in Ankara hospitals, removing unnecessary physician oversight for standard midwifery practices as recommended by WHO.
3. Cultural Competency Training: Integrate localized cultural sensitivity modules into Ankara University's midwifery curriculum, addressing specific community needs (e.g., Kurdish-speaking populations in Yenimahalle district).

This Dissertation confirms that the Midwife is not merely a healthcare provider but a central architect of quality maternal care within Turkey Ankara's urban landscape. The evidence from Ankara demonstrates that when midwifery services are appropriately resourced and integrated – as seen in successful hospital models – they significantly improve patient outcomes, reduce system costs, and align with national health goals. However, realizing the full potential of Midwives requires moving beyond policy pronouncements to concrete resource allocation within Ankara's municipal healthcare budget. The city's position as Turkey's administrative heart makes its midwifery model a critical blueprint for national implementation. Future research must continue monitoring how Ankara's evolving midwifery services respond to demographic shifts and technological advancements like telehealth, ensuring this essential profession remains at the forefront of maternal healthcare innovation in Turkey.

Ministry of Health, Republic of Turkey. (2021). *National Strategy for Maternal Health 2021-2030*.
World Health Organization. (2023). *Maternal Mortality in Turkey: Data and Analysis*.
Turkish Medical Association. (2023). *Midwifery Practice Report in Ankara Hospitals*.
Yıldırım, A., & Şimşek, M. (2021). Urban Midwifery Challenges in Capital Cities: The Case of Ankara. *Turkish Journal of Public Health*, 19(4), 145-156.

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