Applying best evidence in the care of women and their infants is a cornerstone of 

midwifery  practice.  The  challenge  of  evidence-based  practice  (EBP)  is  to  know 

how to find the evidence, appraise its worth and applicability, and assure that each 

woman understands what it means so that it can inform her decision making. This 

book provides a well-rounded examination of the issues we face in using evidence 

to inform our everyday clinical decisions.

Over the past several decades, maternity care has admirably moved away from 

opinion-based  practice  to  careful  consideration  of  scientific  evidence  in  clinical 

decision making. However, over time, as is often the case with practice trends, 

recommendations can become dogma.