There are three professional midwifery organisations based on voluntary membership
Czech Chamber of Midwives (CKPA) www.ckpa.cz
Was founded in 1997 after by a breakaway of midwives from Czech Nursing Association. It changed its name several times over the years. It is a conservative organisation, member midwives work mainly in hospitals but some also practice independently in community. It’s vision is strengthening midwifery profession in its autonomy. They support woman’s right to chose the place of birth. They are EMA and ICM members.
Union of Midwives (UNIPA) www.unipa.cz
Established in 2005. Connects independent midwives and is orientated at community midwifery, independent midwifery, strongly supports women’s choice of birthplace, publishes translations of foreign care guidelines and position statements supporting continuity of care and carer. Supports homebirth as a choice and advocates for insurance covered midwifery community care. They are EMA and ICM members.
Czech Society of Midwives (CSPA) http://www.porodniasistentky.info
The youngest organisation of all three, founded in 2013, states in its founding documents that all members vow to comply with the care standards issued by Czech gynaecology and obstetric society and that its main aim is to promote gynaecology and obstetrics. There are no current public activities advertised on their website, all events advertised in the past were medical, none of them in midwifery. They claim to be the biggest midwifery professional organisation, however there are no numbers of paying members published. They offer membership to various healthcare workers. Reading the founding documents available on their website, it is obvious that their philosophy is directly against what is internationally understood to be midwifery. They are not members of any international midwifery organisation.
April 2022
Midwife Club with Lenka 