Ruth Deery is Professor of Maternal Health at the University of West of Scotland and NHS Ayrshire & ArranElaine Denny is Emeritus Professor of Health Sociology at Birmingham City UniversityGayle Letherby is Professor of Sociology and Director of the Institute of Health and Community at Plymouth University

"What is the point of sociology for midwives and midwifery? A sociological perspective can give us a different understanding of reproduction and maternity care. It can help us challenge our ‘common sense’ assumptions about how people and the world tick. This new book provides midwives and midwifery students with a readable comprehensive and up to date review of the field of sociology applied to reproduction and maternity care. The editors bring together a very impressive amount of material and present it in an accessible and clear way. Their facility for handling complex theoretical and detailed empirical material is admirable." Jane Sandall, King’s College London "The editors and authors of this fine volume have produced a wonderful introduction to the value of a sociological imagination in the practice of midwifery."Barbara Katz Rothman, City University of New York "The authors set out to ‘stimulate the sociological imagination’ of their readers. The combination of theoretical analysis and application of sociological theory to specific practice situations provides extensive opportunities for this to take place. Readers who are new to the sociology of maternity care will find ample material to excite and engage them. Those who already have dipped into this vast and fascinating field will find new applications, angles and perspectives that can cast a fresh light on why we do what we do in maternity care, and that provide possible routes for positive change in the future."Soo Downe, University of Central Lancashire

• IntroductionRuth Deery, Elaine Denny and Gayle LetherbyPart 1: Midwifery and the importance of sociology1 Sociology for MidwivesSarah Earle and Sarah Church2 Sociology of MidwiferyEdwin van Teijlingen3 Methods, Methodology and EpistemologyGayle Letherby4 Why Policy MattersAlistair HewisonPart 2: Key Issues and Concerns5 Emotion Work and MidwiferyRuth Deery and Pamela Fisher6 Long Term Conditions and DisabilityElaine Denny7 Meanings and Experiences of Risk in MidwiferyJayne Samples and Bob Heyman8 Midwives and LossDeborah Davidson9 Fertility and Reproductive TechnologiesLorraine Culley and Nicky HudsonPart 3: Debates and Controversies10 Marginality and Social ExclusionJo Murphy Lawless and Nadine Edwards11 Infant and Young Child Feeding: culture and contextFiona Dykes12 Commodification around BirthMavis Kirkham13 Mental Health and IllnessCarol Kingdon14 Sustainability and Midwifery PracticeLorna DaviesConclusionRuth Deery, Elaine Denny and Gayle Letherby

Ruth Deery is Professor of Maternal Health at the University of West of Scotland and NHS Ayrshire & ArranElaine Denny is Emeritus Professor of Health Sociology at Birmingham City UniversityGayle Letherby is Professor of Sociology and Director of the Institute of Health and Community at Plymouth University

"What is the point of sociology for midwives and midwifery? A sociological perspective can give us a different understanding of reproduction and maternity care. It can help us challenge our ‘common sense’ assumptions about how people and the world tick. This new book provides midwives and midwifery students with a readable comprehensive and up to date review of the field of sociology applied to reproduction and maternity care. The editors bring together a very impressive amount of material and present it in an accessible and clear way. Their facility for handling complex theoretical and detailed empirical material is admirable." Jane Sandall, King’s College London "The editors and authors of this fine volume have produced a wonderful introduction to the value of a sociological imagination in the practice of midwifery."Barbara Katz Rothman, City University of New York "The authors set out to ‘stimulate the sociological imagination’ of their readers. The combination of theoretical analysis and application of sociological theory to specific practice situations provides extensive opportunities for this to take place. Readers who are new to the sociology of maternity care will find ample material to excite and engage them. Those who already have dipped into this vast and fascinating field will find new applications, angles and perspectives that can cast a fresh light on why we do what we do in maternity care, and that provide possible routes for positive change in the future."Soo Downe, University of Central Lancashire

• IntroductionRuth Deery, Elaine Denny and Gayle LetherbyPart 1: Midwifery and the importance of sociology1 Sociology for MidwivesSarah Earle and Sarah Church2 Sociology of MidwiferyEdwin van Teijlingen3 Methods, Methodology and EpistemologyGayle Letherby4 Why Policy MattersAlistair HewisonPart 2: Key Issues and Concerns5 Emotion Work and MidwiferyRuth Deery and Pamela Fisher6 Long Term Conditions and DisabilityElaine Denny7 Meanings and Experiences of Risk in MidwiferyJayne Samples and Bob Heyman8 Midwives and LossDeborah Davidson9 Fertility and Reproductive TechnologiesLorraine Culley and Nicky HudsonPart 3: Debates and Controversies10 Marginality and Social ExclusionJo Murphy Lawless and Nadine Edwards11 Infant and Young Child Feeding: culture and contextFiona Dykes12 Commodification around BirthMavis Kirkham13 Mental Health and IllnessCarol Kingdon14 Sustainability and Midwifery PracticeLorna DaviesConclusionRuth Deery, Elaine Denny and Gayle Letherby