Positive Health Online

Denise Tiran MSc RM RGN ADM PGCEA, a practising midwife, university lecturer, complementary practitioner and author, is an internationally-renowned authority on the safety of complementary medicine in pregnancy and childbirth. She is founder and Educational Director for Expectancy, an advice, information and educational consultancy on the safe use of complementary therapies in pregnancy and childbirth. Expectancy was the 2010 winner of the “Outstanding Contribution” category in the Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) award for its unique provision of educational and clinical services on maternity-related complementary therapies. Denise is actively campaigning for the subject of “complementary therapies and natural remedies” to be introduced into midwifery education as a compulsory element so that midwives of the future are able to advise women about safety and appropriate use during pregnancy and childbirth.

Previously, as Principal Lecturer at the University of Greenwich, London, Denise developed one of the UK’s first practice-based degree programmes on complementary medicine; she continues teaching there and at other universities as a Visiting Lecturer. Her research activities have included an exploration of complementary therapies for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy; a study investigating the potential of reflexology to predict stages of the menstrual cycle; and a Department of Health-funded project investigating continuing professional development amongst complementary medicine practitioners. She has also acted as a research consultant to the University of Canterbury Christchurch, Kent, contributing to an investigation into midwives’ and nurses’ use of an evidence-base when incorporating complementary therapies into their practice.

In her clinical practice, Denise combines several complementary therapies with normal maternity care, including reflex zone therapy, aromatherapy, herbal, homeopathic and Bach flower remedies, moxibustion (for breech presentation), acupressure, nutrition and sexual counselling. She specialises in treating pregnant women with nausea and vomiting, and has treated over 6000 mothers with this debilitating condition. Her unique complementary therapies NHS antenatal clinic at a maternity unit in southeast London (1994-2004), developed as part of her university work, was “highly commended” in the 2001 Prince of Wales’ Awards for Healthcare in London and gained an international reputation as an example of complementary medicine integrated within conventional maternity care.

Denise has written ten professional textbooks and over 75 journal papers, as well as three books for expectant mothers. She has edited the last four editions of the world-famous Bailliere’s Midwives’ Dictionary, the most recent published in 2012, and has contributed chapters on complementary medicine in several seminal midwifery, gynaecology and obstetric textbooks. She is a member of the Editorial Committee of the Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice journal, has previously written a health column in the Daily Express, has been an advisor to Pregnancy and Birth magazine and has featured on several television and radio programmes.