"Birthgiving and After:
Changing the Russian Attitude of
Pregnancy and Child Bearing"

Through education about the physical and psychological consequences of pregnancy and delivery, this project aims: to enhance the self-confidence of Russian women which can promote pre-natal responsibility; to develop a more symmetric relationship between midwives and pregnant women; and to enhance the quality of know how of midwives and nurses about team work, the relationship between patient and professional, and other delivery practices. The project which was initiated by the Russia Desk Amsterdam, is financed by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Matra (Dutch acronym for Societal Reforms in Eastern Europe).

The project is being executed by three partners:

1. the Institute of Mother and Child headed by Prof. dr. O.G. Frolova, who is also the advisor for the R.F. Ministry of Public Health.
2. Pangea parents Culture Center, which aims to promote other ways of birthgiving (underwater/home, with the partner etc.). The Center is based in Moscow but is active all over the Russian Federation.
3. The Russia Desk Amsterdam, project leader.

The project is (not financial) supported by the Russian Safe Motherhood Program and is based on two pillars:

1. Eliminating destructive attitudes in Russian society:
   Firstly, within the Russian population itself, through the translation, adaptation, and promotion of the Dutch book Bevallen en Opstaan, which has sold more than 700,000 copies in The Netherlands. This publication will be widely available at a low price. The book provides useful information, is not directive, and supports pregnant women and their partners to be independent, critical towards specialists and health workers and to take responsibility for their bodies. In this project the Dutch book is thoroughly adapted to the Russian situation and includes stories about the experiences of Russian women, photographs, Russian practices and medicines, the law, the role of the midwife, the official health system, which gives little room for the wishes of women themselves, alternative developments, home- and underwater deliveries, sex during pregnancy, the first period after the delivery, emotional and social changes, etc. Also training will be developed for pregnant women and their partners, 'How to prepare for a delivery without stress and pain'. This will be a train-the-trainers program for people in different regions, who can organize training programs in their own cities. The training will focus on preparation, the wishes of the pregnant women, the participation of their partners, etc.

   Secondly the changing of the attitude of Russian midwives at maternity wards and at organizations which provide consultation to women. This training will focus on the attitude, prejudices and expectations of midwives and will give them tools to communicate with their clients in a more fruitful way. Other subjects are alternative forms of delivery, symmetric relationship between patient and midwife/nurse, psychological aspects, supportive behavior, and team working.

2. Expansion of the project's partners' centers from which the practical knowledge from the book and the training will be spread all over the country.

The project falls into the framework of the federal 'Safe Motherhood program'. Recently the Duma decided that the federal budget for family planning activities will be transferred to this Safe Motherhood Program. A Russia Desk partner from the Center for Mother and Child, who is also advisor for the Ministry of Public Health, will develop with Russia Desk a program to create instruments to realize this Motherhood program, in which family planning will be a component.

The book Rodit i Vozroditsa will be published in Russia in October. At that time Russia Desk plans to organize a 1-day-conference, "Will the attitude towards the 'female problems' be changed?", which will be on the results of the "Birthgiving and After" project.

For further information contact The Russia Desk using the information provided above.

Last updated:    March 1998

A print version of much of the information contained in this NIS Third Sector Organizations section can be found in the The Post-Soviet Handbook (Seattle and London: University of Washington Press, 1999).

CCSI Home	Announcements	Eurasia	Opinion/Analysis	Bookstore	Site Map	Search
	Center for Civil Society International Ideas and information for civic action worldwide