The Association of Radical Midwives (ARM) is a UK organisation for

midwives A midwife is a health professional who cares for mothers and newborns around childbirth, a specialization known as midwifery. The education and training for a midwife concentrates extensively on the care of women throughout their lifespan; co ...

, doulas, mothers, and anyone concerned with the health of maternity services. The ARM was created in 1976, and is a registered charity. Its founding members were concerned at the increasing medical intervention of childbirth, and used the initials of Artificial 'Artificial Rupture of Membranes', a procedure which was becoming more common. ARM produces the quarterly journal ''Midwifery Matters'. The word 'radical' in the organisation's name means radical as in 'grassroots', or 'fundamental'. Retainment of midwifery skills such as supporting twin vaginal birth,

breech Breech may refer to: * Breech (firearms), the opening at the rear of a gun barrel where the cartridge is inserted in a breech-loading weapon * breech, the lower part of a pulley block * breech, the penetration of a boiler where exhaust gases leav ...

vaginal birth, and

home birth A home birth is a birth that takes place in a residence rather than in a hospital or a birthing center. They may be attended by a midwife, or lay attendant with experience in managing home births. Home birth was, until the advent of modern medic ...

are a focus of the group, as is the sharing of information, and assisting women with choice and continuity of care. The ARM has members within the

Nursing and Midwifery Council The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the regulator for nursing and midwifery professions in the UK. The NMC maintains a register of all nurses, midwives and specialist community public health nurses and nursing associates eligible to prac ...

(NMC), Association for the Improvement of maternity Services (AIMS), and the

Royal College of Midwives The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) is a British midwives organisation founded in 1881 by Louisa Hubbard and Zepherina Veitch. It has existed under its present name since 1947, and is the United Kingdom's only trade union or professional organis ...

(RCM). Its members are midwives, student midwives and others committed to improving maternity services in the UK and internationally. The membership strongly believe that all women have the right to a service tailored closely to their needs, and a sympathetic attitude on the part of their professional attendants. Past members have included the late

Mary Cronk Mary Cronk (1934 – 21 December 2018) was an independent midwife from Scotland who was awarded her MBE for services to midwifery over her many years of practice. Early life Cronk was born in Glasgow in 1932, the daughter of a Clydeside ship w ...

MBE, and the late author

Sheila Kitzinger Sheila Helena Elizabeth Kitzinger MBE (29 March 1929 – 11 April 2015) was a British natural childbirth activist and author on childbirth and pregnancy. She wrote more than 20 books and had a worldwide reputation as a passionate and committed ...

. The Association of Radical Midwives website holds information resources on pregnancy and birth, including articles and discussion and links to other maternity groups. The ARM also run groups around the UK who meet both formally and informally on an ''ad hoc'' basis to discuss maternity issues.

References

External links

Association of Radical Midwives website
* www.armconference.co.uk Association of Radical Midwives Conference website {{authority control Organizations established in 1976 Midwifery organizations Medical and health organisations based in the United Kingdom 1976 establishments in the United Kingdom Midwifery in the United Kingdom