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The MIDIRS (Midwives Information and Resource Service) Reference database is an amalgamation of references to journal articles, book chapters, reports, pamphlets, news items, audio visual materials, conference proceedings and other ‘grey literature’ relating to the midwifery profession, pregnancy, labour, birth, postnatal care, and neonatal care extending into the first year of life.
Approximately 1,000 records are added to the database per month. There are now over 148,000 records on the database, and its reputation as a powerful research tool for health care professionals around the globe continues to grow.
Key topics include:
* Antenatal health issues
* Complementary therapies
* Employment issues
* Ethical and professional issues
* Health care professionals' role
* Health education
* HIV
* Hospital policies
* International midwifery
* Intensive care
* Neonatal care
* Screening
* Social and psychological aspects
* Sudden infant death and infant mortality.
The level of record enhancement has also increased with every reference on the database assigned keywords, an abstract (if an author-written abstract is not available), categorization by item type, and allocation to one of over 765 standard searches covering topical themes.
A team of qualified information professionals carry out the record enhancement work.





