This is a wonderful chapter to study after Chapters 14 and 15 because it answers the next question: “How does the mother nourish and protect her baby after birth?” For a midwife, this is one of the most practical chapters in the book. You’ll use this knowledge during every postpartum visit. Chapter 16 – Lactation […]

This chapter is another core chapter for a practicing midwife. If Chapter 13 explains how labor begins and Chapter 14 explains the mother’s recovery, Chapter 15 answers: “How does a baby go from living entirely by the placenta to surviving independently within a few minutes?” The newborn’s transition is one of the most dramatic physiologic […]

If Chapter 13 is “How labor works,” Chapter 14 is “How the mother’s body recovers after birth.” It explains the remarkable physiologic changes that occur in the first hours, days, and weeks postpartum and helps you distinguish normal recovery from warning signs that require intervention. For a midwife, this is a high-priority chapter, since much […]

This is one of the cornerstone chapters of the entire book. If I were designing a midwifery curriculum, Chapters 8 (Placenta), 9 (Embryology), 11 (Physiologic Adaptations), 13 (Physiology of Parturition), and 14 (Labor) would be the core science chapters. Everything else builds on them. Chapter 13 answers one of the biggest questions in obstetrics: “Why […]

Chapter 12 is one you’ll probably enjoy because it bridges physiology and practical prenatal care. Unlike earlier chapters that focused on anatomy and biology, this one answers the question, “How should a pregnant woman eat and care for herself to support a healthy pregnancy?” As both a childbirth educator and future midwife, much of this […]

This chapter is where all the previous chapters begin to come together. Chapters 1–10 explained the building blocks of pregnancy: physiology, hormones, fertilization, embryology, the placenta, and immunity. Chapter 11 asks, “How does the mother’s body adapt to support all of that?” For a practicing midwife, this is one of the most clinically useful chapters. […]

Chapter 10 ties together several earlier chapters. It explains how the mother’s immune system tolerates the fetus, how the placenta participates in immune protection, why Rh disease occurs, how newborns receive passive immunity, and why infection prevention is so important during pregnancy. For a midwife, this chapter is highly practical because it affects prenatal care, […]

Chapter 8 is one of the most important chapters in the entire textbook. If Chapters 3–6 explain how pregnancy begins, Chapter 8 explains how pregnancy is sustained. Nearly every complication you’ll study later—preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction, placental abruption, placenta previa, postpartum hemorrhage, diabetes, Rh disease—comes back to understanding the placenta. If I were building a […]

Chapter 8 is one of the most important chapters in the entire textbook. If Chapters 3–6 explain how pregnancy begins, Chapter 8 explains how pregnancy is sustained. Nearly every complication you’ll study later—preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction, placental abruption, placenta previa, postpartum hemorrhage, diabetes, Rh disease—comes back to understanding the placenta. If I were building a […]

This chapter is a little different from the previous one. As a CPM, you are not expected to become a genetic counselor, but you do need to understand enough genetics to explain common inheritance patterns, discuss prenatal screening intelligently, recognize when referral is appropriate, and answer parents’ questions. I would focus on principles rather than […]

Chapter 6 – Fertilization Read Coad, Anatomy & Physiology for Midwives, 4th edition, chapter 6. Write out your answers to Coad, Chapter Case Study, page 116. Create a Coad “Chapter 6 Study Sheet.” Include the following: Learning Goals □ Describe the physiology of intercourse and sperm transport. □ Describe the structure and function of sperm and […]

Chapter 5 – Sexual Differentiation and Behaviour Read Coad, Anatomy & Physiology for Midwives, 4th edition, chapter 5. Write out your answers to Coad, Chapter Case Study, page 116. Create a Coad “Chapter 5 Study Sheet.” Include the following: Learning Goals □ Explain why sexual reproduction increases genetic diversity. □ Describe how genetic sex is determined. […]

Chapter 4 – Reproductive Cycles Read Coad, Anatomy & Physiology for Midwives, 4th edition, chapter 4. Write out your answers to Coad, Chapter Case Study, page 83. Create a Coad “Chapter 4 Study Sheet.” Include the following: Learning Goals □ Describe oogenesis (egg development). □ Explain follicular development. □ Describe ovulation. □ Explain the menstrual cycle […]

Chapter 3 – Endocrinology Read Coad, Anatomy & Physiology for Midwives, 4th edition, chapter 3. Write out your answers to Coad, Chapter Case Study, page 66. Create a Coad “Chapter 3 Study Sheet.” Include the following: Learning Goals □ Explain what endocrinology is. □ Describe how hormones communicate with target tissues. □ Compare the endocrine and […]

Chapter 2 – The Reproductive and Urinary Systems Read Coad, Anatomy & Physiology for Midwives, 4th edition, chapter 2. Write out your answers to Coad, Chapter Case Study, page 34. Create a Coad “Chapter 2 Study Sheet.” Include the following: Learning Goals □ Describe the anatomy and function of the urinary system. □ Compare the male […]

Books to Purchase: Coad – Anatomy and Physiology for Midwives, 4th edition Skills to Practice: Try to find YouTube videos demonstrating how to do each skill. You should aim to practice each skill daily until your preceptor signs off on it. Stethoscope (Weaver p. 9) Otoscope (Weaver p. 9) Ophthalmoscope (Weaver p. 10) Vital Signs […]