Sexual health-related training of Canadian midwives and its association with practice outcome

Although promoting sexual health should be an integral part of midwifery practice, little is known about midwives' preparation to address their clients' sexual health concerns.

To assess the formal and self-directed training on sexual health topics relevant to midwifery practice of Canadian midwives as well as the association between training and various practice outcomes.

Forty midwives registered in the Province of Ontario, Canada completed an online survey assessing their formal and self-directed sexual health training, knowledge, comfort, and practice related to 10 sexual health issues.

In terms of formal training, three of the 10 topics were coved in-depth and seven were covered in general terms only or not at all. Participants had received an average of 26.0 hours of formal training related to sexual health. Almost all (90%) participants had engaged in self-directed learning on at least one topic. Participants had asked at least one client about only 5 of the 10 topics and been asked by at least one client about 4.5 of them. Participants who reported more extensive formal training had been asked about more sexual health topics by their clients. More self-directed learning was associated with more positive attitudes toward midwives' role in addressing sexual health concerns, feeling more knowledgeable, and being asked about and asking about more sexual health topics.

The midwives in this sample had limited training in some important sexual health issues relevant to midwifery practice. Likely as a result, they often did not address these issues in practice.