Limited research has been published that has examined the
sources of nutrition information used by midwives. In a small
study (N = 77) conducted in the United Kingdom, approximately
half of the midwives (48%) reported they relied on the media (not
specified) rather than their professional education as a key source
from which to obtain nutrition information.
34
This is in contrast to
a relatively recent study in New Zealand that reported New
Zealand midwives used mainly the Ministry of Health documents,
such as the guidelines for pregnant and breastfeeding women and
the New Zealand Food Safety Authority pamphlet on food safety, as
their sources for nutrition information. The same study reported
that only 53% (196 of 370) of midwives accessed other health
professionals, such as dietitians, for information.
35
This can
possibly be explained by the fact that there was already a
comprehensive and detailed publication about the various
nutritional issues during pregnancy and their management
(including practical advice) available for midwives in New
Zealand.