Introduction to the Department:
The Department was established with the founding of the college in 1962. The experience and curricula were based on experts from the World Health Organization in teaching and training. In the early seventies, some female faculty members who had completed their studies abroad began to take over the branch’s scientific assignments.
The Department was called Obstetrics and Gynecology Nursing until (2015), then the name was replaced by the Mother and Child Health Nursing Branch, and in (2016) then the branch was renamed with the current name, which is the Maternal and Newborn Nursing Branch. The subject of Obstetrics and Gynecology is taught in the third stage of the four academic stages and in one semester system, where the student learns about: the various stages of fetal growth and development, nursing care for women during pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium, complications, critical cases, and various surgical cases during pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium, as well as Newborn baby care. Theoretical and practical subjects are taught in maternity hospitals in the city of Baghdad.
The Department also studies the optional subject (Midwifery), which has been taught since (2004-2005) and is intended for fourth-year students. The branch has a laboratory for mother and newborn nursing equipped with the latest scientific models of educational dolls that simulate the birth process. Postgraduate studies in the branch began with the higher diploma, which is taught in a full calendar year system in (1978) and continued until (1981), after which the master’s study began in (1986) and is still continuing to graduate qualified female students in the specialization. As for the doctorate, it began in 1995 and is still continuing with graduating courses from the faculty and staff of the Ministry of Health who hold a doctorate in maternal and newborn nursing, noting that the branch is limited only to female students with admission to postgraduate studies.
Names of those who assumed the presidency of the Department since its inception:
Heads of the maternal and newborn health nursing Department
Number of research published inside Iraq: 14
Number of research published outside Iraq: 28
Patents: none
Number of translated and published books: none
Chairperson of Maternal and Newborn Health Nursing department
| Period | Chairperson of Maternal and Newborn Health Nursing department | No. |
| 1965-1973 | Karsi Bruges | 1. |
| 1973-1984 | Dr. Badia Mohammed Najib | 2. |
| 1984-1990 | Janet Habib Touma | 3. |
| 1990-1998 | Dr. Badia Mohammed Najib | 4. |
| 1999-2000 | Dr. Iqbal majeed Abass | 5. |
| 2000-2001 | Dr. Wafaa Abdel kareem | 6. |
| 2001-2003 | Dr.Rabea Muhsen Ali | 7. |
| 2003-2005 | Dr. Iqbal majeed Abass | 8. |
| 2005-2006 | Dr. Fatin Abed Al-Ameer | 9. |
| 2006-2012 | Dr.Rabea Muhsen Ali | 10. |
| 2012-2015 | Dr. Suhad hekmat khairy | 11. |
| 2015-2018 | Dr. khalida Alwan Mnsour | 12. |
| 2018- 2021 | Dr. Hala Saady Abdalwahd | 13. |
| 2021- لغاية الان | Dr. Hawraa Hussain Ghafil | 14. |
| No. | Teacher’s Name | The Scientific Title |
| 1. | Dr. Hawraa Hussein Ghafel | Assist. Prof |
| 2. | Dr. Wisam Mashaan Muttaleb | Instructor |
| 3. | Dr. Najlaa Abd Hamza | Assist. Prof |
| 4. | Dr. Nuha Adel Ibrahim | Instructor |
| 5. | Dr. Sarab Nassr Fadhi | Instructor |
| 6. | Dr. Aqdas Dawood Salmam | Instructor |
| 7. | Dr. Rajaa Tareq Hasan | Instructor |
| 8. | Dr. Fatima Fadel Benyia | Instructor |
| 9. | Alyaa Khazaal Naemah | Assist. Instructor |