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Course for midwife ended

We present to you the Midwives' Map and invite you: "With Menopause - to the Midwife!"

After several months of intensive work and study, the first pilot course for Midwives in Poland has come to an end: "Counseling during the menopausal transition", organized by the Kulczyk Foundation under the patronage of the Ministry of Health, in partnership with the Supreme Council of Nurses and Midwives, the Warsaw District Chamber of Nurses and Midwives, under the substantive supervision of the National Consultant in the field of gynecological and obstetric nursing.

The official closing ceremony, including a summary and the presentation of course completion certificates, took place in picturesque Krasnobród on June 7th. We would like to thank everyone involved in preparing and conducting this exceptional course. We also congratulate all the participating midwives, thanking them for their commitment and for the valuable and incredibly fruitful time spent together! I am delighted to be building the #MenopauseWithoutTaboo initiative community!

Every woman in primary care has her own assigned midwife. She can choose her own midwife or change her assigned midwife. Midwives have the appropriate knowledge and qualifications to provide menopausal advice, but they can also perform certain tests and prescribe medications. Midwives care for women from birth to death, and pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period—which, of course, doesn’t apply to everyone—are just part of their work.

Midwives support women in caring for their health at every stage of life, including perimenopause. Thanks to the “Counseling During Menopausal Transition” course, dozens of midwives from across Poland updated their knowledge about menopause and its impact on physical and mental health, and expanded their knowledge and skills in providing effective emotional and psychological support to women during the menopausal transition. They also gained new competencies to support women and conduct menopausal consultations.

We hope that thanks to this initiative, more midwives will soon have the opportunity to complete similar courses, improve their qualifications, and thus support women during the menopausal transition, because we know this is sorely needed!

At the same time, to make it easier for Polish women to find the contact information for their nearest midwife trained to support women during menopause, we have launched a map on the website www.menopauzabeztabu.org.pl, which allows every woman to find the right midwife and benefit from her support.

During this consultation, the midwife will interview the patient, discuss menopause and what a woman can expect, and guide her on the next medical path. She will recommend an appointment with an endocrinologist or gynecologist, as well as blood tests. She will discuss dietary habits and lifestyle.

You can find the map at 👉 www.menopauzabeztabu.org.pl/znajdz-polozna

The map of midwives will be updated regularly.

Go to www.menopauzabeztabu.org.pl/en/find-a-midwife

Menopause – See Your Midwife! Our Course Has Launched!

As planned, on the weekend of January 18-19, we launched a training course for midwives entitled "Counseling during the menopausal transition".

This is a pilot project organized by the Kulczyk Foundation under the patronage of the Ministry of Health in partnership with the Supreme Council of Nurses and Midwives. The National Consultant in Gynecological and Obstetric Nursing oversees the course content.

We encourage you to read the article – for current news on this topic, which can be found here.

We also invite you to watch the video covering the course launch, which also explains its objectives:



Photo gallery:

EDUCATIONAL COURSE FOR MIDWIFE "COUNSELING DURING THE PERIOD OF MENOPAULIC TRANSFORMATION"

Midwives can support women in their health care at every stage of life. This medical group has extensive training in caring for and supporting women during the perimenopausal period. The Kulczyk Foundation disseminates knowledge on this topic and strives for systemic changes that will not only improve midwives' qualifications, allowing them to better utilize their potential, but also raise awareness among Polish women in this area.

The free, ongoing training course for midwives, "Counseling during Menopausal Transition," is a pilot program organized by the Kulczyk Foundation under the patronage of the Ministry of Health in partnership with the Supreme Council of Nurses and Midwives. The course is supervised by the National Consultant in Gynecological and Obstetric Nursing.

Thematic scope

The course consists of five thematic modules:

  • Cultural and social aspects of the perimenopausal period
  • Medical conditions of menopausal changes
  • Urogynecological health support
  • Sexuality during the perimenopausal period
  • Emotional and psychological support for women during menopausal transition

Meeting places and dates:

1st CONGRESS – January 18-19, 2025 (Saturday-Sunday) – Location: Hotel Airport Okęcie, ul. KOR 24, Warsaw, 7th floor, entrance A, Zeppelin + Concorde room

2nd CONGRESS – February 8-9, 2025 (Saturday-Sunday) – Location: Warsaw District Chamber of Nurses and Midwives, ul. Żelazna 59, Warsaw

3rd CONGRESS – February 15-16, 2025 (Saturday-Sunday) – Location: Warsaw District Chamber of Nurses and Midwives, ul. Żelazna 59, Warsaw

4th CONGRESS – March 8-9, 2025 (Saturday-Sunday) – place of implementation: Warsaw District Chamber of Nurses and Midwives, ul. Żelazna 59, Warsaw

 

Passing conditions

The requirements for passing the course are outlined in the course regulations and in the agreement signed with each participant. Both documents are available for review below.

The pilot will conclude with an evaluation, which will allow for efforts to incorporate the course into the postgraduate midwifery curriculum as a specialized course called “Educator and Counselor in Menopausal Transition” or “Counseling in Menopausal Transition.” This will include a list of health services to which midwives will be entitled after completing this type of postgraduate training. Counseling provided by midwives to perimenopausal women will then be designated as a guaranteed service, thus enabling the development of specific systemic solutions aimed at improving the safety and quality of care for women during this period of life. The “Counseling in Menopausal Transition” continuing education course has been incorporated into the SMK and will be implemented by the Kulczyk Foundation, as the provider of postgraduate education, which has been entered into the register of entities providing postgraduate education for nurses and midwives.

Course program: COUNSELING DURING THE PERIOD OF MENOPAULIC TRANSITION

The programme of the training course for midwives COUNSELING DURING THE MENOPAUSAL TRANSFORMATION was developed by the programme team consisting of:

Prof. Grażyna Iwanowicz-Palus, MD and PhD – team leader: midwife, specialist in gynecological and obstetric nursing, family nursing for midwives, and public health; Department of Specialized Care in Obstetrics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lublin; National Consultant in gynecological and obstetric nursing.

 

Małgorzata Wojciechowska, MD and PhD: midwife, psychologist, specialist in gynecological and obstetric nursing; Department of Practical Vocational Education, Faculty of Health Sciences, Poznań University of Medical Sciences; Regional Consultant in gynecological and obstetric nursing for the Lubusz Voivodeship.

 

Monika Przestrzelska, MD, PhD, prof. Wrocław Medical University: midwife, postgraduate studies in Clinical Sexology; specialist in obstetric nursing; Department of Specialized Care in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Wrocław Medical University; Regional Consultant in obstetrics and gynecology nursing for the Lower Silesian Voivodeship.

 

Bożena Kulesza-Brończyk, MD, PhD: midwife, specialist in obstetrics and family nursing for midwives; Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Obstetric-Gynecological Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Białystok, SPZOZ Sanus in Białystok – primary care midwife.

 

PhD. Alicja Długołęcka: Humanistic-experiential psychotherapist, couples psychotherapist, sex educator, and long-time lecturer in psychosomatics and sexual rehabilitation; she specializes in the prevention of psychosexual disorders, broadly defined sexual education, and the promotion of “sexual health”; Lew-Starowicz Therapy Center in Warsaw.

 

Paulina Wiśniowska, MA: Midwife, Master of Physiotherapy, specialist in family nursing for midwives; specialist in perinatal rehabilitation; specializes in physiotherapy for urogynecological disorders; Ad Med Family Clinic, ISTRA Physiotherapy Center in Wrocław.

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    Complete the survey: Check what stage of life you are at

    Answer the question: 1/7

    How old are you?

    It is generally accepted that perimenopause, a period beginning with the first symptoms of impending menopause, may begin around age 40, up to 12 months after the last menstrual period. In Poland, the average age of women experiencing menopause (last menstrual period) is 51. If menopause occurs between the ages of 40 and 45, it is considered early menopause. If it occurs before age 40, it is called primary ovarian insufficiency (POI).

    How would you describe your periods?

    In the early menopausal transition, cycle lengths vary by more than seven days. When monthly bleeding is interrupted for at least 60 days, this is considered late menopause. If vaginal bleeding occurs after menopause, meaning after more than a year without a period, you should consult a doctor.

    Is your skin drier now, feeling tight, irritated, or itchy?

    Declining estrogen levels during perimenopause trigger a cascade of events in the skin. The sebaceous glands stop producing a protective layer of sebum. Without this lipid layer, the skin becomes dry and prone to irritation. Allergies to cosmetics, itching, and tightness may occur.

    Reduced estrogen levels during menopause affect thermoregulation, hence hot flashes. These are sudden waves of heat that spread across the upper body. The skin sweats and becomes flushed, and red blotches may appear on the face and décolleté. The heart may beat faster and blood pressure may rise, which can lead to feelings of anxiety. Hot flashes can last several minutes and can end with a feeling of cold or even chills.

    Have you experienced sleep problems (difficulty falling asleep, waking up during the night)?

    Perimenopause can be associated with sleep disturbances. Difficulty falling asleep or waking up during the night are the first symptoms of hormonal changes for many people. Nighttime hot flashes are an additional sleep disruption.

    Have you recently noticed more severe mood swings than usual (not caused by difficult events)? Do you get angry more easily, are irritated by things you previously ignored, become depressed, cry more often, or feel like doing nothing?

    The decline in hormone levels during perimenopause affects our well-being. Irritability, anger, decreased patience, sadness, and frequent mood swings can also worsen our moods. Some typical menopausal symptoms can also worsen our moods, such as trouble sleeping, constant fatigue, or hot flashes. Even a single symptom of the menopausal transition is enough to cause us to behave differently than before. Mood swings become a problem when we don't see any underlying causes that can be linked to the sudden change in attitude.

    Have your weight and waist circumference increased even though you have not changed your eating habits or activity?

    During perimenopause, as estrogen levels decline, the body becomes more susceptible to metabolic changes, accumulating fat more readily around the abdomen. With age, we also gradually lose muscle tissue, which physiologically requires more energy than fat tissue. We can eat and exercise as usual, but body composition changes unfavorably, and body weight increases. Between the ages of 40 and 60, women gain an average of 10 kg.

    Check here, which period of life you are in.

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              Information clause

              1. Data Controller. The data controller of your personal data in connection with the “Menopause Without Taboo” campaign (the “Campaign”) is the KULCZYK FOUNDATION, with its registered office in Warsaw (00-526), ​​at 24/26 Krucza Street, entered into the register of associations, other social and professional organizations, foundations, and independent public healthcare facilities, and the register of entrepreneurs of the National Court Register maintained by the District Court for the capital city of Warsaw in Warsaw, 12th Commercial Division of the National Court Register, under the KRS number: 0000471002, and the Tax Identification Number (NIP): 70104114847 (the “Foundation”). The Foundation can be contacted by email at iod@kulczykfoundation.org.pl.

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