University academic is one of BBC’s 100 inspirational women
24 Nov 2015
Midwifery expert Dame Tina Lavender chosen for her work in the developing world
Dame Tina Lavender, of the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Care, has been selected as one of the BBC’s 100 Women 2015.
The list names 100 of the most inspirational women across the world each year and seeks to better represent women in the BBC's international news output.
Along with Dame Tina, there are nurses on the front line, young female film-makers documenting the pressures and expectations in their community, leaders in science, politics, education and the arts, 30 entrepreneurs under the age of 30 and inspiring women over the age of 80.
Dame Tina is one of the world's top experts in midwifery, specialising in the management of prolonged labour and the use of the partograph – a tool designed to help midwives monitor births.
She acts as an advisor to the World Health Organisation and developed a board game designed to increase the use of the tool in Africa.
The main focus of her work is prolonged labour and she has worked across Africa, where it accounts for one in every 22 maternal deaths.
But she has also led research into baby products and their effects on eczema, which showed that branded products like bath wash and baby wipes were as safe as water but olive oil can damage the skin barrier, promoting and exacerbating atopic eczema.
As a result, many hospital neonatal units have removed it from their store cupboards – and midwives and health visitors have changed their advice to mothers.
BBC’s 100 Women
The BBC 100 Women season, two weeks of thought-provoking broadcast and online stories, runs on BBC World News TV, on BBC World Service and on 28 global languages services until Wednesday, 2 December.
To watch and listen, visit:
You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, using the hashtag #100Women.