Q. Hi, I`m currently doing a research project on whether medical intervention slows down labour. I`m having trouble finding any stats on this and would be grateful if you have any ideas of where to start. Thank you very much.

A. Thank you for your enquiry. A good place to start looking for this information is on the MIDIRS Reference Database. This Database supplies the bibliographic details and abstracts for over 160,000 records relating to midwifery, pregnancy, labour, the postnatal period and neonatal care up to the first year of life and is compiled from over 500 English language journals, as well as websites, books, pamphlets, government reports, conference proceedings and other sources.

Because your area of interest is quite broad, a search of the MIDIRS Reference Database is likely to bring back a large number of results. You may find it helpful, therefore, to restrict your results by narrowing your search a little - for example, by specifying whether there are particular interventions that your interested in (eg, vacuum, forceps, amniotomy, induction, episiotomy etc).

If you already subscribe to the Database, our information team can assist you with your research enquiry by suggesting search strategies and ways to use the Database more effectively. Please contact us on 0800 581 009 or email info@midirs.org . If you are not a subscriber to the MIDIRS Reference Database, information about how to subscribe can be found at:
http://www.midirs.org/midirs/midweb1.nsf/services?openform

If you do not subscribe, or you are a subscriber but have been unable to retrieve relevant results, our information team is able to carry out a search on your behalf. The cost of this depends on the level of your subscription (£11.50, student subscriber; £16.80, personal subscriber; £34.75, non-subscriber; £19.50, European and worldwide subscriber; £36.75, European and worldwide non-subscriber). If you would like further information, please do not hesitate to contact us using the details below:

Freephone: 0800 581 009
From overseas: +44 117 925 1791
Email: info@midirs.org