Panagiotou Maria, Hadjigeorgiou Eleni, Vryonides Stavros, Karanikola Maria, Merkouris Anastasios, Middleton Nicos
Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol 3036, Cyprus.
School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Nicosia, 46 Makedonitissas Avenue, Nicosia 2417, Cyprus.
Healthcare (Basel). 2025 Aug 7;13(15):1936. doi: 10.3390/healthcare13151936.
Midwifery's Intangible Heritage was officially recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization on 6 December 2023, highlighting that elements of midwifery knowledge and practice, shaped over generations, constitute cultural heritage worth safeguarding. While previous studies have investigated midwives' perceptions of professional identity, none have done so within the explicit framework of MIH.
this study explored how midwives and student midwives in Cyprus perceive the intangible heritage of their profession and how it relates to their shared professional identity.
A qualitative descriptive study was conducted between April and July 2023. Three focus groups were held, involving 22 participants: 15 registered midwives and 7 student midwives. A semi-structured interview guide consisting of 10 questions was used, developed by the lead author (M.P.) based on the literature and improvisation and finalized with the research team (E.H., S.V., N.M.) after expert input. Thematic analysis was performed inductively to identify recurrent themes.
Four major themes emerged: (1) key elements of Midwifery's Intangible Heritage and their transmission across generations; (2) a sense of shared professional identity; (3) perceived threats to the midwifery profession; and (4) midwives' expectations for the future of the profession.
The findings reflect the historical background of midwifery in Cyprus and its contrast with contemporary practice, particularly within the context of the overmedicalization of birth and societal perceptions of midwifery in the socio-cultural setting. Safeguarding Midwifery's Intangible Heritage requires both empowering women to seek midwifery-led care and enabling midwives to practice autonomously within their full professional scope. In addition, policymakers and educational bodies must support the preservation of midwives' core skills through targeted educational curricula, structured mentorship, and continuous professional development.
助产士非物质遗产于2023年12月6日得到联合国教育、科学及文化组织的正式认可，强调了历经几代人形成的助产士知识和实践元素构成了值得保护的文化遗产。虽然此前的研究调查了助产士对职业身份的认知，但尚无研究在助产士非物质遗产的明确框架内进行此类调查。
本研究探讨了塞浦路斯的助产士和助产专业学生如何看待其职业的非物质遗产，以及它与他们共同的职业身份有何关联。
2023年4月至7月进行了一项定性描述性研究。举行了三次焦点小组讨论，共有22名参与者：15名注册助产士和7名助产专业学生。使用了由第一作者（M.P.）根据文献和即兴创作编写、经研究团队（E.H.、S.V.、N.M.）在专家意见后最终确定的包含10个问题的半结构化访谈指南。进行归纳式主题分析以识别反复出现的主题。
出现了四个主要主题：（1）助产士非物质遗产的关键要素及其代际传承；（2）共同职业身份感；（3）助产士职业面临的感知威胁；（4）助产士对该职业未来的期望。
研究结果反映了塞浦路斯助产士的历史背景及其与当代实践的对比，特别是在分娩过度医疗化以及社会文化背景下社会对助产士的认知的背景下。保护助产士非物质遗产既需要赋予女性寻求由助产士主导的护理的权力，也需要使助产士能够在其完整的专业范围内自主执业。此外，政策制定者和教育机构必须通过有针对性的教育课程、结构化的指导和持续的专业发展来支持保护助产士的核心技能。
