Journal Page

Unassisted Childbirth

Vol. 12, No. 1, ISSN 0256-5004 (Print)

By Laura Kaplan Shanley AIMS Journal, 2000, Vol 12 No 1 Many people have heard the terms unassisted childbirth. But what is this movement, which is pa…   Read more…

A Way Forward for Midwives

Vol. 12, No. 1, ISSN 0256-5004 (Print)

AIMS Journal 2000, Vol 12 No 1 AIMS' Chair Beverley Lawrence Beech argues that it is time midwives started speaking up for themselves, for their profe…   Read more…

Bad Habits - a poor basis for medical policy

Vol. 11, No. 4, ISSN 0256-5004 (Print)

Marsden Wagner AIMS Journal 1999, Vol 11, No 4 In this article, Marsden Wagner, formerly the Regional Officer for Women's and Children's Health at the…   Read more…

Over-Medicated and Under-Informed: What are the consequences for birthing women?

Vol. 11, No. 4, ISSN 0256-5004 (Print)

By Beverley A Lawrence Beech AIMS Journal 1999/2000, Vol 11, No 4 It is not necessary to remind readers of the circumstances which empower a woman to…   Read more…

The Safety of Hospital Birth - The myth versus the reality

Vol. 11, No. 4, ISSN 0256-5004 (Print)

Beverley A. Lawrence Beech AIMS Journal, 2000, Vol 11 No 4 Having travelled around the world presenting the users' views of maternity care I have foun…   Read more…

Ultrasound - More powerful, more dangerous, more unethical

Vol. 11, No. 4, ISSN 0256-5004 (Print)

By Jean Robinson AIMS Journal 1999, Vol 11, No 4 When Professor Stuart Campbell says he is worried about the way ultrasound is being used on unborn ch…   Read more…

Ultrasound - weighing the propaganda against the facts

Vol. 11, No. 4, ISSN 0256-5004 (Print)

By Beverley Lawrence Beech AIMS Journal, Winter 1999, Vol 11 No 4 An abridged version appears in this Journal, this is the full paper, which was first…   Read more…

Managing the Third Stage

Vol. 11, No. 3, ISSN 0256-5004 (Print)

By Jean Robinson AIMS Journal, 1999, Vol 11 No 3 AIMS' Research Officer Jean Robinson summarises the pitfalls and problems of research into third stag…   Read more…

Choosing Alternatives

Vol. 11, No. 3, ISSN 0256-5004 (Print)

By Pat Thomas AIMS Journal 1999, Vol 11 No 3 Women who are interested in alternative forms of maternity care, are also often interested in alternative…   Read more…

The Ann Kelly Case

Vol. 11, No. 2, ISSN 0256-5004 (Print)

by Maire O'Regan AIMS Journal, 1999, Vol 11 No 2 The Final Regulation of Irish Midwives In September 1996, Peter Boylan, Mater of the National Materni…   Read more…

A Trial by Newspaper

Vol. 11, No. 2, ISSN 0256-5004 (Print)

By Pat Thomas AIMS Journal, 1999, Vol 11 No 2 AIMS has been resoundingly criticised in the past for its stance on journalists and the way they portray…   Read more…

The Witch Hunt

Vol. 11, No. 2, ISSN 0256-5004 (Print)

By Beverley Lawrence Beech and Pat Thomas AIMS Journal, 1999, Vol 11 No. 2 An International Persecution of Quality Midwifery This is one of the most d…   Read more…

The Death of Midwifery? - It May Be Closer Than You Think

Vol. 11, No. 1, ISSN 0256-5004 (Print)

AIMS Journal, 1999, Vol 11 No 1 I am a non-practising midwife and, for the moment, the lay chair of an inner city MSLC. I have a passion for the polit…   Read more…

MIDWIFERY - Will Higher Level Equal Lower Skill?

Vol. 11, No. 1, ISSN 0256-5004 (Print)

by Beverley Beech AIMS Journal 1999, Vol 11, No 1 AIMS Chair Beverley Beech recently returned from Australia, buoyed up and optimistic about the futur…   Read more…

Mater Over Matter

Vol. 10, No. 4, ISSN 0256-5004 (Print)

By Carey Morning AIMS Journal, Volume 10 No 4, Winter 1998/9 In October I attended Michel Odent's lectures "Childbirth: Needs, Dreams and the Reality…   Read more…

Miscarriage - The Loss of A Baby

Vol. 10, No. 4, ISSN 0256-5004 (Print)

By Rosemary Mander AIMS Journal 1998, Vol 10, No. 4 Miscarriage and the grief which follows it have been widely ignored in the past. This may have bee…   Read more…

What's On The Menu?

Vol. 10, No. 4, ISSN 0256-5004 (Print)

By Fiona Campbell Smith AIMS Journal, 1998, Vol 10, No 4 With tongue firmly in cheek, AIMS takes a look at the menu mentality of modern maternity care…   Read more…

Precious Babies, Not Uterine Contents

Vol. 10, No. 4, ISSN 0256-5004 (Print)

AIMS Journal 1998, Vol 10, No 4 Mary Waliace In 1997, I miscarried two of what the medical profession refer to as non-viable fetuses. To me they were…   Read more…

Breech Presentation - Caesarean operation versus normal birth

Vol. 10, No. 3, ISSN 0256-5004 (Print)

By Gina Lowdon AIMS Journal 1998, Vol 10, No 3 There are widespread fears surrounding vaginal delivery of the breech presentation and a lack of inform…   Read more…

Keep Your Hands off the Breech

Vol. 10, No. 3, ISSN 0256-5004 (Print)

By Mary Cronk, MBE AIMS Journal Autumn 1998, Vol 10 No 3 Mary Cronk, MBE is a well known and well respected independent midwife. During her many years…   Read more…

Turning Point for the Breech?

Vol. 10, No. 3, ISSN 0256-5004 (Print)

AIMS Journal, 1998, Vol 10, No 3 By Pat Thomas There can't be a breech mother alive who has not tried to turn her baby. AIMS receives a great many cal…   Read more…

Why are some babies breech?

Vol. 10, No. 3, ISSN 0256-5004 (Print)

By Gina Lowdon AIMS Journal, 1998, Vol 10 No 3 Sometimes a breech presentation can be explained by the mother's pelvic shape, the position of the plac…   Read more…

Active Management of Labour: The Irish Way of Birth

Vol. 10, No. 2, ISSN 0256-5004 (Print)

The Irish Way of Birth By Maire O Regan AIMS Journal, 1998, Vol 10 No 2 "As a human female physiologic process labour is both a universal phenomenon a…   Read more…

Common Criticisms of Active Management of Labour

Vol. 10, No. 2, ISSN 0256-5004 (Print)

AIMS Journal, 1998, Volume 10, No 2 Companion article to Active Management of Labour - The Irish Way of Birth The examination to judge the exact begin…   Read more…

Latest Content

Journal

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Sovereignty of the Body: Birth, Int…

AIMS Journal, 2026, Vol 38, No 2 By Tamara Blakemore The First Breath I’m a birth artist, and apparently I’m here to talk about the sovereignty of the body, which feels s…

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Scottish Maternity Update: Review o…

AIMS Journal, 2026, Vol 38, No 2 By Camille Del Pozo and Anne Glover on behalf of the AIMS Campaigns Team Background AIMS wrote to Neil Gray, the Cabinet Secretary for He…

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The sovereignty of the body in preg…

AIMS Journal, 2026, Vol 38, No 2 By Alex Smith Welcome to the June 2026 edition of the AIMS journal. This issue is about the sovereignty of the body in pregnancy and chil…

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Events

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AIMS Workshop: Wellbeing

AIMS is delighted to be hosting a Wellbeing workshop delivered by Ruth Weston , veteran birth activist, AIMS volunteer and author of 'Born Stroppy Make Change Happen'. Th…

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Threads of Protest

Join us for the launch of Threads of Protest A new exhibition at Science Gallery London exploring inequality in maternity care through creative practice, lived experience…

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AIMS Workshop: Focusing on Rights i…

Join us for one of our series of interactive online AIMS workshops, " Focusing on Rights in Pregnancy and Birth ". Emma Ashworth (principal author of "The AIMS Guide to Y…

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Latest Campaigns

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Making sense of maternity service r…

By Jo Dagustun, Senior Campaigns Volunteer As readers grapple with the latest set of national recommendations and actions from Donna Ockenden's Nottingham report , Valeri…

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AIMS comments on the 10 Point Plan…

In the light of two recently-published hefty reports on the past and present functionality of the maternity and neonatal services, first in Nottingham and then across Eng…

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Open letter to Michelle Welsh MP, N…

17th June 2026 Dear Michelle The AIMS Campaigns Team, and AIMS more broadly, would like to warmly welcome you to your new role as National Maternity Advisor. We look forw…

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