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MANA's response to AMA

2008-07-18T11:06:12Z

worthy of forwarding to local news editors!
there's a PDF version at http://mana.org
steve

President’s Editorial

July 11, 2008

[[]]

Midwives Alliance of North America

611 Pennsylvania Avenue SE # 1700

Washington, DC

20003-4303

Contact:

Geradine Simkins

president@mana.org <mailto:president@mana.org>

888-923-MANA (6262)

info@mana.org <mailto:info@mana.org>

http://www.mana.org <http://www.mana.org/>

Doctors Ignore Evidence,

AMA Seeks to Deny Women Choices in Childbirth

One wonders what process the American Medical Association (AMA)
House of Delegates used to determine that “Resolution 205 on
Home Deliveries” was a prudent and reasonable proposal to
adopt. AMA Resolution 205 attempts to outlaw a woman’s choice
to birth at home or in a freestanding birth center by calling for
legislation to establish hospitals and hospital-based birth
centers as the safest place for labor, delivery and postpartum
recovery. Further, Resolution 205 seeks to establish that
hospital-based midwives who work under the control of physicians
are the only safe midwifery practitioners.

The Midwives Alliance of North America, which has represented the
profession of midwifery since 1982 and whose members are
specialists in homebirth, finds AMA’s Resolution 205 to be
arrogant, patronizing and self-serving. We have three major
objections to Resolution 2005. First, Resolution 205 patently
ignores the vast body of scientific evidence that has documented
homebirth to be a safe, cost-effective and satisfying option for
women who prefer this alternative to hospital birth. Second, AMA
Resolution 205 is seriously out-of-step with the ethical concept
of patient autonomy in health care (encompassing both informed
consent and informed refusal), which has gained widespread
acceptance in the medical community. And third, Resolution 205
distracts from other critical issues in maternity care to which
healthcare professionals should be giving substantial attention,
including increasing access to care, improving perinatal
outcomes, reducing health disparities and fostering client
satisfaction. AMA Resolution 205 is anti-homebirth, anti-midwife,
anti-choice and is unsupported by scientific evidence.

Why is the American Medical Association not asking the real
questions instead of trying to debunk existing research evidence
on the safety and efficacy of homebirth and attempting to corner
the market on maternity care? For example, why are
midwife-attended births far more likely to have fewer
interventions, fewer postpartum infections, more successful
breastfeeding rates, healthy infant weight gain and result in
more satisfied, empowered mothers ready to embrace their newborns
and parenting experiences? Why are so many women across the
nation left emotionally traumatized by their childbirth
experiences in hospitals and consequently why do rates of
postpartum depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress continue
to escalate?

It is ironic that the AMA should have a quarrel with a known safe
birth option such as homebirth at the same time when the epidemic
rise in coerced or elective cesarean sections puts healthy
mothers and infants at greater risk than normal vaginal birth and
causes excess strain on the limited resources of our healthcare
system. The rate of cesarean sections in the United States is
unacceptable—one in three pregnancies end in major abdominal
surgery—and the decline in availability of vaginal birth
after cesarean (VBAC) is deplorable. It is unethical to expect
that women and infants should continue to bear the brunt of
increasing medical malpractice risks by over-treating them with
obstetric technologies such as c-sections while denying them safe
evidence-based options such as VBAC. It is past time that the AMA
in collusion against homebirth with the American College of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) realizes that women and
their partners are choosing to labor and deliver at home and in
freestanding birth centers to avoid ethically unsupported
obstetric interventions.

Modern medical ethics have evolved to embrace
autonomy—patient choices and patient rights—over medical
recommendations based on paternalism or physician preference. In
almost all areas of modern medicine, except obstetrics, the locus
of control rests firmly with the client or patient and not with
the medical provider. It is a commonly held principle that it is
not appropriate to force medical treatment upon clients or
patients against their will, including medications, blood
transfusions, chemotherapy or even life-saving surgeries.
Informed consent has appropriately become the gold standard in
healthcare decision-making. Why then do the AMA and ACOG believe
that they can promote legislative efforts to deny women choices
in maternity care providers and childbirth settings? In the 21st
century this concept is outdated and absurd.

The AMA and its members might consider using their considerable
energy, intelligence and resources to focus on promoting the
health and well-being of mothers and babies and devote less time
to limiting women’s access to midwifery services. All
maternity care providers should band together to reduce the
unacceptably high rates of maternal and infant mortality and
morbidity in the United States, increase access to maternity care
for all women, reduce unnecessary cesarean sections, encourage
vaginal birth and VBACs for healthy women, reduce health
disparities of women and infants in minority populations, and
promote increased breastfeeding. These challenging but attainable
goals would improve the health of mothers and babies far more
impressively than reducing the rates of homebirth.

The Midwives Alliance joins the other individuals and
organizations, including individual AMA and ACOG members, who
have grave concerns about the AMA taking the stand articulated in
Resolution 205, and calls for the AMA to abandon this resolution.
Midwives everywhere honor and respect the numerous friendly
physicians with whom we already partner and look to the day when
midwives and obstetricians will consistently work collaboratively
to support women’s choices in childbirth and provide the best
possible and most appropriate range of services for every
situation.

References

1. K.C. Johnson, B.A. Daviss, Outcomes of Planned Home Births
with Certified Professional Midwives: Large Prospective Study in
North America, British Medical Journal 2005; 330: 1416 (18 June).
1. Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Royal
College of Midwives Joint Statement No. 2, April 2007. See
http://www.rcog.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=2023
<http://www.rcog.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=2023>
1. Wiegers TA, Keirse MJ, Van der Zee J, Berghs GA. Outcome of
planned home birth and planned hospital births in low risk
pregnancies: prospective study in midwifery practices in the
Netherlands. BMJ 1996; 313:1309–13.
1. Olsen O. Meta-analysis of the safety of the home birth.
Birth 1997; 24:4–13.
1. Ogden J, Shaw A, Zander L. Deciding on a home birth: help
and hindrances. Br J Midwifery 1997;5:212–15.
1. Canadian Institute for Health Research Giving Birth in
Canada: Regional Trends From 2001-2002 to 2005-2006.
http://secure.cihi.ca/cihiweb/en/downloads/Childbirth_AiB_FINAL_E\
.pdf
<http://secure.cihi.ca/cihiweb/en/downloads/Childbirth_AiB_FINAL_\
E.pdf>
7. CMAJ Maternal mortality and severe morbidity associated
with low-risk planned Cesarean delivery versus planned vaginal
delivery at term. http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/reprint/176/4/455.pdf
<http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/reprint/176/4/455.pdf>
8. Listening to Mothers II Report (2006.) Childbirth
Connections, http://www.childbirthconnection.org/article
<http://www.childbirthconnection.org/article>

posted in *Maternal Self-Determination* - 0 replies

birth petition

2008-06-23T01:08:42Z

The AMA wants legislation mandating where we give birth.

To say NO:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/birthathome/index.html

posted in *Maternal Self-Determination* - 0 replies

share your birth story here

2008-05-17T23:32:20Z

hello! i am new to this tribe & feel very blessed to have had 2 positive birth experiences (one in a hospital w/ a CNM & the other at home, a waterbirth in a huge trough of a tub in my kitchen w/ a CPM, her assistant & we even let a midwifery student join in the fun).
now that my children are a HUGE almost-7 and almost-10, i still find myself drawn to all issues of childbearing & childbirth, breastfeeding and, now that they're older, the vending machines & yucky lunches served in their schools (my kids won't touch 'em), etc, etc. ~all so very important & deeply political.
ever since reading spiritual midwifery during my 2nd pregnancy i have loved to hear different birth stories & learn so much from reading each mysterious and beautiful event.
i noticed there hasn't been a new thread for a while here (has the bush admin. temporarily stifled any dialogue & all hope in this arena?)
my hope is that this is an appropriate topic for this particular tribe & that we can enter this year gently sharing in this joy together while collectively learning, growing, and reminiscing from our unique experiences as mommies, daddies, midwives & the like...
"he who isn't busy getting born is busy dyin'" [it goes something like that anyway] ~bob dylan

posted in *Maternal Self-Determination* - 5 replies

Jesus

2007-09-20T14:11:57Z

JESUS CHRIST+JESU KRISTE+YESHUA HAMASHIACH+JESUS CHRISTUS+JESU KRISTU+ISOUS HRISTOS

Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophesy and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near. REVELATION 1:3

And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth." REVELATION 11:3

He who testifies to these things says, " Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. REVELATION 22:20-21

+++

Everyone, has the responsibility to find the truth for themselves. What is stated below, must be researched and verified, so that every individual can then decide to accept, or discard it as myth. The only truth is God the Father, the Son our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Read the Bible, pray to the Holy Spirit for guidance and our Lord Jesus Christ will not abandon you, but will place the truth in your heart.

+++

We must not try to copy the world, but be different to it, as the example set by our Teacher, our Lord Jesus Christ. Being the same as the world, sharing its base values, being part of the fashion trends, is all part of Satan's system (Sex changes that are taking place ever more frequently and therefore not knowing anymore who is a man or a woman). The Pope of Rome is one of Satan's instruments (the Papists have immense power and wealth, our Lord Jesus Christ was humble and owned nothing). Talmudists/Zionists want to rebuild Solomon's Temple and proclaim their own false king of the world (there is only one King of the Jews and Orthodox Christians and that is our Lord Jesus Christ). Their power base is the U.S.A (Superpower of the world). They contol many governments, banks, newspapers, television stations (the media in general), etc. We must not forget the very elusive and cunning Masonic Lodges which form part of Satan's means to spread anti-Christian and heretic information. Television and video has been one of the most powerful tools of Satan, which has ruined the ethics which sustained our youth and the family unit. With pornography in all its forms, men have been misled and subsequently their women, a whole generation of our youth and their families have been devoured by Satan. We have forgotten about God, the Bible and prayer and have allowed ourselves to go down the road to hell and have fallen into Satan's trap (in other words we are slaves to flesh and our desires). Hedonism is the aim of humanity.

The group that is attempting to rule the world, consists of three member countries, U.S.A, Europe and Japan (3 presidents). Their central control, consists of 32 members (of the 29, 8 are Americans; 9 from Japan; 12 from the European Union (contolled from Belgium/Luxembourg). Head of the 3 member group is Rockefeller (his head quaters is in Rhodes, Greece; his specific influence is in the U.S.A and E.U). Whoever does not obey the orders of this group are murdered. Death is the penalty for disobedience. Another Satanic "club" is called, Bildeberg. They can destroy any government and put a new one together again. They can make a country vanish and create a new one too. 200 members, which include intelligence agencies (CIA; BIA; BND (Ger.); SIB (Ital.); SPELA (Fra.)). There are members who are involved with NATO and hold important positions in the US administration, etc. They hold an extremely harsh stance against the East, especially with Russia because of its Christian Orthodox heritage. They exterminate/demolish any opposition.

An enemy going back thousands of years is head quatered in China (the Himalayas/Tibet). The Seljuks come from that region, who are the ancestors of the Turks, who attacked and oppressed Christian Orthodoxy in Asia Minor and Greece. The Turks/Jews have tried many times to wipe out the Greeks and Christian Orthodoxy. They call the Greeks and Christian Orthodoxy, the people of the "Blue Trigramaton" (which is refering to the Holy Light that emenates from our Lord Jesus Christ's tomb). The roots of martial arts is that region spoken of above. Martial arts are Satanic and anti-Christian and yet has our youth spellbound under the innocent guise of sport/fitness. In the Himalayas there is a glass pyramid (Sambala), it has many entrances. This is where the White Brotherhood is based. It's aim is to destroy all the world's religions except its own. It has more power than the U.S.A. It has more resources at its disposal than all the governments in the world. It has infiltrated and controls many governments and religions (Roman Catholics, Protestants and Judaism). The First and Second World Wars were masterminded by them. They are going to start the Third World War too. The White Brotherhood works with the Bildeberg club and all the others. They are assisted by the Zionists. They created Hitler and introduced the Swastika (broken cross, that is what it means). Hirohito of Japan was responsible for a massive bloodbath, but he was not punished like the others, after the Second World War because he was a member of the world ruling 3 member group mentioned above. Grey Wolves (Turkish Muslims), are connected to the White Brotherhood. Only Grey Wolves members may rule Turkey. They must always mantain a harsh stance against Greece/Christian Orthodoxy (Turgut Ozal, was exterminated for his softer stance).

The White Brotherhood want to destroy the followers of Jesus Christ. They call His followers, bipods or two-legged ones. Their methods are many: thirst, hunger on a worldwide scale. All plants and forests must be destroyed. Wars, so as to ensure maximum slaughter. They refer to humanity as a chicken breeding farm. They destroy humanity with drugs; they have contaminated our drinking water (it has been doctored with medication); our food is also contaminated and our clothes too from the fancy washing powders that we use (that is why everyone is getting ill and they don't know why). Thirst on a worldwide scale, for eg.. Euphrates to be dried up because of Turkey, which will lead to a confrontation with Iran/Syria. Hunger, for eg., Russia was the world's wheat provider, even the U.S.A relied on her. The White Brotherhood ensured that Russia would starve. In Moscow young women give themselves for a plate of food. Homosexuality, the U.S.A being its banner. One can go on and on, but there will be no end then. It is devestating. But do not despair, if you are a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ because He has defeated Satan and the world.

(This is a summarized version and a translation of a tape recording in Greek, from a Greek Orthodox perspective ofcourse, given to me by a Monk at Calvary/Golgotha in Jerusalem, Christmas, 2001. I cannot divulge any names, nor my own because this is a very dangerous subject. You will have to verify the truthfullness of the matter yourself. Please excuse my errors of spelling or other. May God forgive me if I am wrong about any of this, but I do it with honest intentions. God bless you. From a humble follower of our Lord Jesus Christ.)

+++

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." JOHN 16:33

+++

"LORD JESUS CHRIST, HAVE MERCY ON ME."

posted in *Maternal Self-Determination* - 0 replies

free and easy way to help homeless children

2007-08-02T21:27:41Z

www.railwaychildren-friends.com/email.asp

just replace this web search engine in place of your old one and raise 10p per search

posted in *Maternal Self-Determination* - 0 replies

MomsRising: Delta kicks breastfeeding mom off plane! Sign the petition now!

2007-07-06T02:38:22Z

Subject: FW: Delta kicks breastfeeding mom off plane! Sign the petition now!

Dear MomsRising member - I almost got kicked out of a Flower & Garden Show for nursing my son ten years ago, but that pales in comparison to actually getting kicked off an airplane--as happened recently to a mother on a Delta Airlines flight in Vermont.
She was sitting on an airplane nursing her child in a next-to-last row window seat with her husband beside her (in other words, she was in a discreet location), when a flight attendant offered her a choice: Cover herself and her child with a blanket, or get off the plane. She declined the blanket, and was escorted off the plane.
MSNBC quotes her as saying, ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…â€œIt embarrassed me. That was my first reaction, which is a weird reaction for doing something so good for a child.ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚
SIGN THE PETITION TO DELTA AIRLINES AND CONGRESS: Tell Delta Airlines to get a clue and be supportive of breastfeeding mothers. And tell Congress itÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s time to pass the Breastfeeding Promotion Act, which amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to protect breastfeeding mothers. Clearly this law is needed now!
*Click here to sign on to the petition (and then forward this e-mail on to friends so they can sign too): http://www.momsrisi ng.org/breastfee ding-petition
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY: The action Delta Airlines took flies in the face of what the medical profession and the government agree is best for mothers and children. In fact, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) actively advocates breastfeeding and states on their website that the, ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…â€œCDC is committed to increasing breastfeeding rates throughout the United States and to promoting optimal breastfeeding practices.ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚ And, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services leads a National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign to promote breastfeeding, and notes on their website that, ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…â€œThe longer a mom and baby breastfeeds, the greater the benefits are for both mom and baby.ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚ *Interested in knowing more? Read why the American Academy of Pediatrics advocates breastfeeding by clicking here: http://www.aap. org/advocacy/ releases/ feb05breastfeedi ng.htm
ThatÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s some heavy evidence. So why was that mother publicly humiliated for doing what doctors, and even large government agencies, advocate?
SIGN NOW: Sign the petition (and then forward this e-mail on to friends so they can sign on to): http://www.momsrisi ng.org/breastfee ding-petition
And feel free to also give the CEO of Delta Airlines a jingle (and a piece of your mind): Gerald Grinstein, Delta CEO, at (404) 715-2600ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬youÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢ll need to press 0 for the operator. While youÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢re at it, you might want to contact Lee Macenczak, Executive Vice President and Chief of Customer Service at the same number.
Best ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å“ The MomsRising Team
p.s. Got a breastfeeding story of your own to share? After you sign on (and pass along the petition to friends by forwarding this e-mail) please share your own breastfeeding tales of triumph and embarrassment with us online at www.MomsRising. org -- get there by scrolling down the homepage to the blog section, and then click on the Share Your Breastfeeding Tales blogÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬you can add your story when you click on that blog

posted in *Maternal Self-Determination* - 7 replies

spontaneous delivery and funky birth myths

2007-06-27T19:01:53Z

This news item about a birth caught my attention because the birth of my first daughter happened in a similarly quick and unexpected way, however, the lesson that I took away from the experience was exactly the opposite of this new dad's.

I wonder how many mothers wouldn't trade their own most recent labor and delivery experience for one like this.

February 16, 2007
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/02/16/Tampabay/Devil_Ray_s_new_assig.shtml

" ST. PETERSBURG — Infielder Ty Wigginton came through with a lot of big hits for the Devil Rays last season. But that was nothing like the way he delivered during the offseason.

...The unforgettable episode started around 3:45 the morning of Dec. 20, when Angela woke with contractions about seven minutes apart. “I asked her, 'Do we need to go?’ and she says, 'We’re all right,’ ’’ Wigginton said.

A couple of hours of more intense contractions later, Angela — who went through a 14-hour labor with Chase — changed her mind. She began getting ready for a trip to the hospital, though expecting the doctors would simply send them home. Ty was already up with Chase, giving him medicine for a flu that had him vomiting and preparing to drop him off at Angela’s parents’ house.

“About 6 o’clock she’s in the closet trying to get dressed, and I’m getting our son ready to go out the door and she yells, 'We’re having this baby now,’ ’’ Wigginton said.

“I think she’s kidding. Then I come around the corner and, sure enough. … I called 911 and told them to get somebody over there. And like a minute later, I’m holding the baby in my arms.”

It took about 10 more minutes for the paramedics to get there, though Wigginton said it seemed like an hour. Not that he had time to get too worried.

“The baby came out and he looked great,” Ty said. “The scary part was that he never really cried until the EMTs got there, but he was breathing. His tongue was moving in and out of his mouth. I could feel his heart beating. They just told me to keep wiping his nose and mouth and keep him wrapped in a towel.”

[THE SCARY PART WAS THAT THE BABY WASN'T TRAUMATIZED? --WHAT A SAD REFLECTION OF THE MEDICAL MYTHOLOGY OF CHILDBIRTH]

The baby weighed 7 pounds, 2 ounces . . .

[SO, WHAT DOES THE BASEBALL PLAYER LEARN FROM THE EXPERIENCE?]

“Next time, if she even sneezes or coughs, we’re going to the hospital,” Wigginton said. “I don’t care if she is only two weeks pregnant.” "

...SO EVERYONE CAN BE TRAUMATIZED :-)

posted in *Maternal Self-Determination* - 3 replies

"Pushed" by Jennifer Block

2007-06-21T19:29:45Z

This promises to be interesting --includes a section on Cynthia Caillagh's prosecution re: the death of Julia Peters and the history of midwifery legalization in VA.

Interview with Jennifer Block, Author of "Pushed"
http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2007/06/21/interview-with-jennifer-block-author-of-pushed

AMAZON INFO:
Pushed: The Painful Truth About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care by Jennifer Block (Hardcover - Jun 30, 2007)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0738210730/vbfreedomus

Editorial Reviews:
From Publishers Weekly
"According to writer and editor Block (Our Bodies, Ourselves), "the United States has the most intense and widespread medical management of birth" in the world, and yet "ranks near the bottom among industrialized countries in maternal and infant mortality." Block shows how, in transforming childbirth into a business, hospitals have turned "procedures and devices developed for the treatment of abnormality" into routine practice, performed for no reason than "speeding up and ordering an unpredictable...process"; for instance, the U.S. cesarean section rate tripled in the 1970s, and has doubled since then. Block looks into a growing contingent of parents-to-be exploring alternatives to the hospital-and the attendant likelihood of medical intervention-by seeking out birthing centers and options for home-birth. Unfortunately, obstacles to these alternatives remain considerable-laws across the U.S. criminalizing or severely restricting the practice of midwifery have led the trained care providers to practice underground in many states-while tort reform has done next to nothing to lower malpractice insurance rates or improve hospital birthing policies. This provocative, highly readable expose raises questions of great consequence for anyone planning to have a baby in U.S., as well as those interested or involved in women's health care."
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Library Journal, 5/15/07
"A stirring discussion of reproductive rights, informed consent, and the rights of the mother vs. the fetus... Recommended."

posted in *Maternal Self-Determination* - 0 replies

Birth Center Closing

2007-06-21T16:17:20Z

I live in a super conservative area where most people are opposed to home birth, natural birth is an anomaly, and the C-section rate is about 32%. We have one local birth center staffed by midwives, that is located within a hospital's L&D center. It seems that the L&D center is in need of costly repairs and updates so the hospital is planning on closing it down, this will also include our only local birth center. The area midwives, doulas, childbirth educators, and some families are trying to organize and convince the hospital to keep the current birthing facilities. I was hoping that some of you might have experience with similar situations or ideas on how to successfully accomplish this mission. I can't wait to get your ideas! Also, does anyone know of other groups that might be helpful with this?

posted in *Maternal Self-Determination* - 1 reply

drug pushers employ media to target pregnancy depression

2007-03-18T00:06:32Z

Conflict of interests?

TV news (or advertising?) item:
Pregnancy Depression
http://www.wifr.com/home/headlines/5699581.html

Few doctors check for it, many pregnant women are afraid to admit to it but it can be dangerous for both mother and baby. Ante-natal depression is when mothers feel desperate and alone during pregnancy.

Experts estimate at least 10% of expecting moms suffer from it but the number could be much higher since few doctors screen for it. Vanessa Barisano said when she finally told her doctors they didn't take her concerns seriously.

The problem is that the risks of untreated depression during pregnancy can be very serious, pre-term labor, chance of cesarean section, and low-birth rate.

The good news is that the illness is easily treatable. Heath experts say if treated with anti-depressants the pregnancy will go much smoother.

posted in *Maternal Self-Determination* - 5 replies

Every PARENT NEEDS TO SEE THIS IMPORTANT DOCUM.

2007-03-17T23:45:29Z

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3609599239524875493&q=The+Drugging+Of+Our+Children&hl=en

http://www.ostrowandcompany.com/film_detail.php?film=The%20Drugging%20Of%20Our%20Children

The Drugging Of Our Children

OVERVIEW

Genre: Feature Documentary
Language: English
Country of Origin: USA
Running Time: 102 minutes

CAST & CREW

Director: Gary Null
Co-Directed by: Producer: Manette Loudon, David Chmura
Associate Producer & Legal Affairs: David Slater
Editor: David Chmura
Cinematographer: Derek Ramsey, David Chmura
Writer: Gary Null
Producer's Representative: Ostrow and Company

SYNOPSIS

How are large drug companies benefiting from the latest trend of selling powerful psychoactive drugs to America's children? Do these drugs really help our children cure symptoms of supposed mental illness, or do they tend to increase depression, violence, and suicide? Are we really treating the root causes of mental illness, or are we just eliminating annoying symptoms?

This feature-length documentary examines the alarming growth in the prescription of powerful psychotropic drugs for adolescents and children. Leading experts, as well as Neil Bush, Michael Moore and Gary Null, provide insightful commentary about the growing trend to pathologize the behavior of children, and then require them to take mind-altering pharmaceutical drugs as a "cure." The documentary recounts the national tragedy of Columbine and focuses on the largely unknown fact that teenage shooter Eric Harris was on the psychotropic drug Luvox at the time he and Dylan Klebold took the lives of 13 other students at their high school. Violence and aggression, precipitated by prescribed drug use, is also explored in an unprecedented discussion between Mark Taylor, the first shooting victim in the Columbine tragedy, and Cory Baadsgard, a teenager on Paxil and Effexor who, in another violent incident, took his teacher and 23 students hostage at gunpoint in his Washington high school. The film proceeds to show the dangerous links between psychotropic drugs like Paxil, Luvox, Effexor and Prozac – commonly prescribed to adolescents for anxiety, depression and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) - and the increased incidents of violence, suicide and psychotic behavior often observed in those children and adolescents who are taking the drugs. The film also provides compelling personal accounts, including a mother going to prison and losing her son to government authorities because she refused to give her son psychiatric drugs. Leading medical authorities and mental health professionals speak the unvarnished truth about current increased diagnoses of recently devised mental illnesses and the unprecedented prescription of a host of very powerful psychoactive drugs to "treat" them. Finally, this documentary explores safer, alternative methods for treating childhood mental illness.

TO SEE THE ACTUAL NEWS STORIES (over a thousand)
http://www.ssristories.com

posted in *Maternal Self-Determination* - 0 replies

2 Midwifery Bills expected in NC

2007-03-11T00:50:39Z

Plans are underway for separate CPM licensing bills to be introduced in the 2007-08 sessions of the North Carolina General Assembly's House and Senate, respectively. For up to date details and general information about these initiatives and how can begin to support them today, please visit and join the North Carolina Friends of Midwives at

http://NCFOM.org/

These campaigns show every sign of becoming quite exciting and ultimately successful ones.

If you live in NC and believe that lawful access to out-of-hospital midwifery care is both every woman's right and an asset to maternal infant health and well being, please visit http://NCFOM.org/ TODAY!

posted in *Maternal Self-Determination* - 0 replies

Mother dies after [cesarean]

2007-02-27T01:05:22Z

Reported as "an apparent rarity," the writer fails to mention that it's 3-4 times less rare when the birth is by cesarean.
steve

Mother dies after childbirth
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
THERESA ROACH
THE SAGINAW NEWS
http://www.mlive.com/news/sanews/index.ssf?/base/news-21/1171986653315850.xml&coll=9

In an apparent rarity, a 25-year-old Freeland woman has died from complications after a Caesarean section surgery.

Ted Sweetman of Midland said his granddaughter, Jamie L. Sweetman, died Saturday.

He described her as a family woman who kept to herself.

Sweetman is the mother of Brayden N. Sweetman, born Saturday at MidMichigan Medical Center in Midland, and 3-year-old daughter Kennedy M. Sweetman.

Debra Gibson, community health director for the Saginaw County Department of Public Health, said deaths during live births are "very unusual." Michigan Department of Public Health officials could not provide information on the number of deaths during live birth in the state.

Among 127,518 births in the state during 2005, 52 mothers died within a year or less, but officials aren't sure how many of those were live birth deaths, said spokesman T.J. Bucholz.

"(Jaime) was a very nice girl. She and her cousins got into little spats, but they were typical things. They were together all the time," Sweetman said. "She was into the family. We had a lot of family get-togethers, and she enjoyed that."

The 2000 graduate of Freeland High School is the daughter of Russell and Gwen Sweetman of Merrill.

She worked at the Michigan CardioVascular Institute in Saginaw. Officials there declined comment.

Ware-Smith-Woolever Funeral Chapel, 1200 W. Wheeler in Midland, will conduct services at 11 a.m. Thursday. Friends may visit from

2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to

8 p.m. Wednesday and from

10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Thursday. v

posted in *Maternal Self-Determination* - 1 reply

2007

2007-02-09T20:58:44Z

The following states currently have legislation or budget items pending in their legislatures:
* Alabama
* Illinois
* Indiana
* Missouri
* North Dakota
* South Dakota
* Utah
* Virginia

more info is available at http://birthpolicy.org/

posted in *Maternal Self-Determination* - 0 replies

seeking home or waterbirth to photograph

2007-02-09T00:39:58Z

hi all -

i'm a photographer working on a project and seeking a home or waterbirth to photograph with someone due before mid-march. i'm hoping to capture the raw beauty of the experience.

you can read more about the project at http://www.divine-eye.com/projects.html.

thank you!
antonia kao

posted in *Maternal Self-Determination* - 0 replies

Art photographer seeks birth to photograph

2007-02-06T08:17:26Z

Hi everyone,

I'm an award-winning documentary filmmaker who recently segwayed to still photography and is seeking a birth to photograph in the next month.

I'm looking to capture folks "in those moments of the pure essence of you. You without masks, without concealment, in your most unmoderated, unfiltered, true self." This is for a passion project: http://www.divine-eye.com/projects.html

If you are in the San Francisco Bay Area, due before mid-March, and would love to have your birth captured, please say hello. I'm particularly interested in nontraditional/home/waterbirths but all births welcome.

Thank you!
Antonia Kao, MFA

posted in *Maternal Self-Determination* - 0 replies

Summit Follow-UP

2007-01-31T22:58:54Z

I had the pleasure of attending the National Advocates for Pregnant Women's first of its kind summit meeting in Atlanta, and I tought I'd pass along this report from NAPW's Lynn Paltrow. (I wasn't the only male attendee, but almost :-)
- Steve

Dear NAPW Friends and Allies:

I am pleased to report that NAPW's National Summit to Ensure the Health and Humanity of Pregnant and Birthing Women, which we held in Atlanta, Georgia this past January 18-21, was a raving success from beginning to end.

The Summit's supporters and attendees represented one of the most diverse gatherings ever to address issues concerning reproductive health and justice. It was co-sponsored by more than 60 organizations ranging from advocates for mother-friendly childbirth to those that advocate for the right to choose an abortion. It brought together over 300 maternal, birthing, and reproductive rights activists along with social justice activists, legal and policy experts, and healthcare providers from 37 states, the District of Columbia, Mexico, and Canada.

Participants moved beyond the divisive abortion debate to find common ground in the experiences of pregnancy and the increasing limitations to care and support that all pregnant and birthing women face. Working together, they identified violations of pregnant and birthing womens civil and human rights and created the basis for formulating an agenda that genuinely values pregnant women, maternal health, and motherhood. Standing together, they demonstrated the collective possibilities of broad-based support for laws and policies that genuinely promote a culture of life — one that includes and values the women who give that life.

Media coverage
Media coverage of the Summit and NAPW's issues was substantial, positive, and appeared in a variety of venues. On the second day of the Summit, the San Francisco Chronicle featured my op-ed, Creating a true culture of life in their Roe v. Wade anniversary roundup.

But the most comprehensive ongoing Summit coverage has come from bloggers, including the six women who received NAPW bloggerships (scholarships) to join us in Atlanta. These bloggers come from all over the United States, collectively reach over 100,000 readers per day, and speak from and to a variety of constituencies and communities. Several other bloggers came on their own steam, and added their voices to a chorus of praise and wonder.*All were united by their shared commitment to advancing reproductive justice and unanimous in their praise for NAPW and the Summit:

I've talked to the other bloggers, and we all just feel lucky to have been at the Summit and to have witnessed what happened there. For a feminist blogger, it just doesn't get better: the content, the connections, and the conversations. I'll be writing about this all year.

(Pamela Merritt at Angry Black Bitch)

I can honestly say that NAPW organized the best feminist conference that I've ever been to.it was more than the great attendees — it was the incredible energy at the conference, the remarkable panelists, and the oh-so-important (and ambitious) vision for reproductive justice that the conference put forward. I mean, damn, just look at the program and you'll see what I mean.

(Jessica Valenti at Feministing)

Join this organization.

Seriously. National Advocates for Pregnant Women is, in my experience, unique — and uniquely well positioned — for this moment in history. It brings together pro-choice organizations, women working in and for birthing and mothering rights, gay and lesbian family activists, advocates for incarcerated and addicted women, academic feminists, grassroots and national organizations for women of color, and other groups to bring into focus our common goals and the common threat to women's autonomy posed by those who want to legislate how, when, why, and where we can (or cannot) be pregnant, and what we can (or cannot) do with our bodies.

. . . They — we — were one of those groups that feminist organizations fantasize about: black, white, Latina, Filipina; old, young, rich-looking, poor-looking; punky young moms ala Hipmama and polished women legislators; hip middle-aged dykes and earthy middle-aged doulas; obstetricians and mothers in recovery from addiction.

And it was the only conference I have ever been to where a plenary session consisted in large part of a series of stories, anecdotes from different women about how they came into being: through politics or parenting, as academics or activists, as workers and as women. There were microphones placed in two or three places in the room, and different women took turns being introduced by Lynn Paltrow, whose baby this organization is, and telling their stories. I've never seen a plenary speaker making the introductions rather than being introduced, or ceding the floor to the subjects of her work. In the most honored and right-on feminist tradition, though, this plenary emphasized subjectivity, and the ways that the work of feminism is subject to the lives of women.

(Tedra at BitchPhD)

The old days of pro-choice and pro-life are so over and new framings about families, women, pregnancy, and dignity are forthcoming. The Summit in Atlanta is a harbinger of these changes and NAPW has positioned itself as an indispensable leader. The conversations will challenge long held post-Roe language and push us into new territory with reproductive rights.

(Lauren at Milby Daniel)

The bloggers posted long and thoughtful commentary on a wide cross-section of panels and speakers. In the great democratizing world of the Internet, this means that many individuals were mentioned by name and their contributions acknowledged and recognized (NAPW staff Matrice Sherman and Wyndi Anderson, and speakers and presenters Tayshea Aiwohi, Miriam Yeung, Mary Barr, Erica Lyon, Loretta Ross, Ina Mae Gaskin, and Dorothy Roberts, just to name a few). The bloggers also addressed a variety of issues, organizations, and communities. And they connected their own constituencies with organizations, events, and scholarship of interest that will ensure ongoing learning and activism.

...doulas who have worked with marginalized communities seem to be really prevalent here, which is wonderful — several of the doulas work with meth-addicted women, a group of women from Washington state are working with incarcerated women, two women mentioned working with undocumented Latina women, one woman mentioned her experience of working as a white woman with native women. Great group.

(Brownfemipower from Women of Color Blog)

Here at this summit that most conservative Democrats would characterize as being some sort of crazy leftist feminist feel-good crap, I saw with my own eyes that NAPW and Lynn Paltrow were able to bring people who are antagonistic to the table not by compromising their views, but by expanding them...here she (Laura Pemberton--personally opposed to abortion, forced by police under court order to have a c-section) was sitting at the table with a bunch of crunchy feminists, queer activists and generally cantankerous pro-choicers (literally, she sat with our little group at lunch one day and was winking at and laughing with some of our more goofily feminist jokes) — not because we had limited our demands for women's rights but because we expanded those demands and the expanded view of what womens rights are was appealing to her. Talk about choice, shes not at the table. Talk about a womans right to self-determination and that means something to her.

(Amanda from Pandagon)

I was overwhelmed when Linda Layne told the stories of her multiple miscarriages (seven or eight, I think). And she's right - we've spent the weekend discussing how to empower women to be more knowledgeable about labor and the choices involved in the birthing process, but no such progress has been made regarding pregnancy loss. Certainly, no pregnant woman wants to consider that possibility. But it is a possibility, and a very real one, if this stat is to be believed, the chance of miscarriage during the first three months of pregnancy is 1 in 5 (?!). And yet no one talks about it. No one offers information on what your body may go through, what options you may have (hospital? emergency room? stay home?). Layne has identified a gap that many, many women fall into, and it's time we started offering them some better resources.

(Megan from Gymno)

Even bloggers who couldn't attend are spreading the word:

The Summit program covered everything from the overbearing and disempowering birthing machine in this country to our cultures rampant fear of birth, from the legal restrictions being placed on VBACs, contraception and abortions to the disturbing rise in fetal rights, where mothers with substance abuse problems are prosecuted for child abuse on behalf of their unborn fetus, instead of being offered the care and treatment they need.and so much more, more, more. I really wish I could have attended! . . .

It's been absolutely fascinating reading the reports and thoughts of many of the bloggers who were able to attend. I've linked to a partial list of the blogs on the Summit, so that you can read for yourself. It's almost as good as being there (although not quite).

(The Student at Belly Tales)

The bloggers engagement with NAPW, the relationships we formed with the organizations that we brought together in Atlanta, and the multiple issues addressed there will continue long past the Summit. Pamela Merritt of Angry Black Bitch is planning on attending SisterSongs Lets Talk About Sex conference in Chicago in May, and has accepted an invite from Donna Haukaas of the Native American Womens Health Education Resource Center to come blog the reservation where she lives in South Dakota.

Two days after Jessica Valenti at Feministing returned from the Summit, she put out a call for any presenters to come guest post at her blog. Jill Morrison, Senior Counsel at the National Womens Law Center, has already responded, and gotten in touch with the other participants on the How Might You Be Prosecuted? panel. NAPWs new Director of Communications, Nancy Goldstein, is working with Jessica to set up guest blogging and interviews with over 30 other Summit presenters, whose work will appear on Feministing throughout the year. She has also arranged for Jamila Akil, a Chicago blogger whose schedule prevented her from attending the Summit, to interview law professor Dorothy Roberts and Guttmacher Institute researcher Rachel K. Jones.

Brownfemipower at Women of Color Blog responded to a reader's plea (please keep the information coming!) with Girl, you know I will!!!"

Participant feedback

Although we have only just begun digging through the stack of evaluations we brought back from the Summit, we have already received dozens of phone calls and emails praising the Summit.

As has been said many times, it was one of the best conferences I have ever attended!

(Loretta J. Ross, SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Health Collective)

Congratulations on organizing a truly groundbreaking Summit!

(Priscilla Huang, National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum)

I just wanted to drop you a note to tell you how wonderful that conference was! There were so many people with such divergent points of view, yet we managed to find some unity amongst us.

(Karen Shain, Legal Services for Prisoners with Children)

The Summit on Health and Humanity of Pregnant and Birthing Woman was simply the best! What a spectacular convening.

(Sharon Gary Smith, Western States Center)

THAT WAS THE MOST AWESOME, BEAUTIFUL, STRONG CONSCIOUSNESS BUILDING, INFORMATION SHARING I have had in a long time. I salute your thinking, efforts, energy, focus, imagination and courage to bring so many folks from so many different backgrounds together...... in peace... with a single focus..the betterment of childbirth... which will save lives, hearts and spirits...

(Maddy Oden, Tatia Oden French Memorial Foundation)

It was an awesome conference. . . Thank you so much for making my dream come true :)

(Freeda Cathcart, Mother's United for Midwifery)

From the extraordinary presentations to the fact sheets in the program packet, the Summit provided people with new information and ideas. There are already many examples of new action, new relationships, new conversations, and expanded thinking. For example, Jessica Arons of the Center for American Progress contributed a piece to a pro-choice blog that brought the issues of unnecessary c-sections into the "mainstream" of the reproductive rights discussion. Dee Ann Newell of the National Coalition to Abolish All Restraints on Pregnant Prisoners in Labor and Childbirth returned to her home state of Arkansas armed with letters from a broad range of new organizations speaking out against an Arkansas bill that would continue policies that permit shackling of pregnant prisoners and that leave the Department of Corrections to determine the if a laboring women is in enough pain to justify removal of the restraints. A critical conversation about hard issues such as the language different groups use — including "choice" and "normal birth" is continuing in full force. And, as we had hoped, Summit participants and bloggers from across the country are acting as issues watchdogs — practically inundating NAPW with news on new arrests and other issues of concern to our organization.

Here at NAPWs New York offices, we have more work to do than ever. January marks the opening of many state legislatures, and once again, bills to control pregnant women — including making it a crime to continue a pregnancy to term in spite of a drug problem — are being introduced. As a result of the Summit, NAPW now has — in addition to all of our ongoing work on behalf of pregnant and parenting women — extraordinary new relationships, new ideas, and new possibilities for affirmative legislative and advocacy work.

Over the next few months we will review all of the evaluations and feedback, develop and distribute this post-Summit report, continue our ongoing states-based grassroots organizing work, and — if funding permits — bring together small subsets of Summit participants to keep new conversations alive and moving towards collective strength and action. We will also be finishing and releasing an unprecedented arrest report that will shed light on the criminalization of pregnancy in the United States from the 1970s to the present time.

We look forward to your support and partnership in these efforts, and thank you again for your commitment and generosity.

Yours truly,

Lynn M. Paltrow
Executive Director

* Amanda Marcotte at Pandagon (Austin, Texas) posts to 35,000 readers per day

Brownfemipower at Women of Color Blog (Ypsilanti, Michigan) posts to 5,000 readers daily

Jessica Valenti at Feministing (New York City, New York) posts to 30,000 readers daily, most of them under 30

Megan Price at Gymno (Atlanta, Georgia) posts to 100 readers per day

Pamela Merritt (Shark Fu) at Angry Black Bitch (St. Louis, Missouri) posts to 5,000 readers daily

Tedra at BitchPhD (Southern California), posts to 25,000 readers daily

Julie Ehrlich at A Bird and a Bottle (New York City, NY) posts to 500 readers daily;

Lauren at Milby Daniel (New York City, NY), a brand-new blog inspired by the Summit, posts to 25 readers daily

posted in *Maternal Self-Determination* - 0 replies

Cytotec Kills!! Do Not Use to induce

2007-01-22T04:00:08Z

Tatia Oden French of Oakland, CA died along with her baby just 10 hours after given Cytotec by her doctor to induce labor at 42 weeks.In Her Story:
Dec. 2001, Tatia Oden French entered a well-known and well-respected hospital to deliver her first child. She was 32 years old, in perfect health, and looking forward to a natural, unassisted childbirth. There were no problems during the pregnancy. According to her doctor's calculations, she was a little under 2 weeks overdue. She was given the drug Cytotec to induce her labor. Cytotec, also known as Misoprostol, is a drug manufactured to treat ulcers. It is NOT approved by the FDA, or the drug company, to induce labor. Ten hours after being administered Cytotec, Tatia suffered hyper-stimulation of her uterus, an amniotic fluid embolism (AEF) was released, an emergency C-Section was performed because the baby was also in distress. Both Tatia and her baby Zorah died in the operating room.

Here are the basics, many of you know this;

Cytotec a quick guide(From the Natural Birth Institute)

ß Misoprostol, the generic name
ß Introduced in 1988
ß Approved by the Food & Drug Administration for treating peptic ulcers only
ß Not approved by the FDA to be used on pregnant women.
ß Not approved to induce or augment labor.
ß Known to soften cervix & cause uterine contractions that are more frequent & powerful than normal labor.
ß Using for cervical ripening is outside of its FDA approved indication.
ß A dose cost only pennies
ß Known to cause abortions, causes the uterus to expel its contents
ß Manufactured by Searle Corporation.
ß Searle does not support the use of its drug in pregnant women
ß Searle’s Medical Director, Cullen M.D. wrote a letter to the Medical community in 2000 explicitly warning against the use of their drug Cytotec in pregnant women. The letter was sent to 200,000 health care providers
ß The letter states “serious adverse events reported following off-label use Cytotec in pregnant women include (& not limited to) Maternal death, uterine rupture, need for hysterectomy, severe vaginal bleeding, retained placenta, shock, fetal bradycardia ( abnormally slow heart beat)
ß Searle has not conducted research concerning the use of Cytotec for cervical ripening
ß Off Label privilege gives physicians & surgeons the right to prescribe drugs/ procedures outside of its FDA approved indication

To learn more

• Tatia.org Web Home for the Tatia Oden Foundation
• Mother Jones.com search “Forced Labor” by David Goodman or www.sciencebasebirthbirth.com/safet...st.htm to retrieve article.
• ICAN-online.org International Caesarean Awareness Network search Cytotec
• www.naturalbirthinstitue

Earth C. Lande, Director
The Natural Birth Institute - Transforming how you see birth.
S.F.,CA

NBI is fiercely committed to preserving the art of birthing naturally. The preservation of natural, unadulterated childbirth is essential to the well being of humankind as well as the ecological health of our planet.

posted in *Maternal Self-Determination* - 1 reply

Listening to Mothers II Survey now available!

2006-10-26T15:02:30Z

Grassroots Network Message 610034

Listening to Mothers II Survey now available!

Dear Friends,

Carol Sakala of Childbirth Connection (www.childbirthconnection.org) wrote to us:

We are very excited to announce availability of the Listening to Mothers II report, with results of our national survey of women who gave birth in U.S. hospitals in 2005. The survey was conducted by Harris Interactive, and carried out in partnership with Lamaze International.

On the website, you can find a press release and the Executive Summary available as pdf files. If you are interested in the entire report, you can purchase a survey report (PDF or paperbound version) at http://www.childbirthconnection.org/listeningtomothers/

Please note that your purchase of the Report helps to support Childbirth Connection and the very useful resources they make freely available on their website.

Carol also writes:

In 2007, Childbirth Connection will release:
1. a companion report, with results of a follow-up survey with Listening to Mothers II participants focusing on their postpartum experiences
2. Recommendations based on results of this rich combined database, and
3. initial quarterly Listening to Mothers II briefs with timely in-depth coverage of key survey topics.

You can register or log in to My Connection at http://www.childbirthconnection.org/login.asp to receive email notification when the postpartum survey and recommendations are available (newsletter option).

I have pasted the Press Release below, which gives highlights of the results of the study! These results of this survey provide documentation about the state of maternity care today and should prove useful in promoting the Midwives Model of Care and the need for normal birth and evidence-based birth practices!

Sincerely,

Susan Hodges, “gatekeeper”

CHILDBIRTH
CONNECTION

Since 1918

Helping women and health professionals

make informed maternity care decisions.

Contact: Eileen Masciale

631-665-2163

ejmpr@optonline.net

Technology-Intensive Childbirth is the Norm for

Great Majority of Primarily Healthy Women

-- Listening to Mothers II: Second National Survey of Women’s Childbearing Experiences, Shows that U.S. Maternity Care System Fails to Provide the Care that Mothers Want and that is in Best Interest of Themselves and their Babies --

NEW YORK, NY, October 24, 2006 – Although the great majority of pregnant women in the U.S. are healthy and have good reason to anticipate uncomplicated childbirth, Childbirth Connection’s new Listening to Mothers II survey shows that technology-intensive childbirth care is the norm. The survey was conducted by Harris Interactive for Childbirth Connection, in partnership with Lamaze International. The national survey polled 1,573 women who gave birth in 2005 and found that most mothers experienced numerous labor and birth interventions with various degrees of risk that may be of benefit for mothers with specific conditions, but are inappropriate as routine measures. Overall, survey mothers experienced the following interventions: electronic fetal monitoring (94%), intravenous drip (83%), epidural or spinal analgesia (76%), one or more vaginal exams (75%), urinary catheter (56%), membranes broken after labor began (47%), and synthetic oxytocin (Pitocin) to speed up labor (47%).

Additionally, more than four out of ten mothers (41%) reported that their caregiver tried to induce their labor. When asked if the induction caused labor to begin, more than four out of five of those women (84%) indicated that it did, resulting in an overall provider induction rate of 34%. Among all survey mothers whose providers tried to start their labors, 79% cited one or more medical reasons for being induced, while 35% cited one or more non-medical reasons. Overall, 11% of mothers reported experiencing pressure from a health professional to have labor induction, and those reporting pressure were more likely to have had it.

Listening to Mothers II was conducted in January and February 2006. It provides health professionals, payors, policymakers, hospitals and women and families with an unprecedented look at experiences of childbearing women and their infants. It also gives all of these groups a basis for improving conditions for mothers and babies by comparing their actual experiences to their preferred experiences, to care to which they are legally entitled, to care supported by best evidence, and to optimal outcomes.

“The data show many mothers and babies experienced inappropriate care that does not reflect the best evidence, as well as other undesirable circumstances and adverse outcomes. This sounds alarm bells,” said Maureen Corry, executive director of Childbirth Connection. “Few healthy, low-risk mothers require technology-intensive care when given good support for physiologic labor. Yet, the survey shows that the typical childbirth experience has been transformed into a morass of wires, tubes, machines and medications that leave healthy women immobilized, vulnerable to high levels of surgery and burdened with physical and emotional health concerns while caring for their newborns.”

Survey Reveals Gaps Between Actual and More Optimal Experiences and Outcomes

Listening to Mothers II identified many gaps between their experiences, their desires and best medical practice. For example:

· Within this largely healthy population, four labors in ten were started artificially and one mother in three had a cesarean.

· A great majority (85%) felt that a woman who wants a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) should be able to make that decision, but most women who were interested in a VBAC were denied this option by their caregiver (45%) or hospital (23%).

· Virtually all of the mothers asked felt that they should be informed about all (78% and 81%) or most (19% and 17%) of the complications related to labor induction and cesarean, respectively, before deciding to have these interventions, yet the majority of mothers were poorly informed about several complications of labor induction and cesarean section and most had incorrect knowledge or were not sure.

· Among the vaginal birth mothers who experienced episiotomies (25%), only 18% stated that they had been given a choice about it.

Safe and Effective Care Practices Were Under Used

In addition to overuse of interventions, the survey showed a striking under use of several care practices known to be safe and effective, and especially appropriate for healthy, low-risk women. Only a small proportion of women experienced these beneficial practices, including use of highly rated drug-free methods of pain relief (e.g., immersion in a tub, shower, use of large "birth ball"), monitoring the baby with handheld devices instead of electronic fetal monitoring, drinking fluids or eating during labor, moving about during labor, giving birth in non-supine positions, and pushing guided only by their own reflexes rather than caregiver-directed pushing.

“These findings are of particular concern,” notes Judith Lothian, PhD, of Lamaze International. “The care practices that promote, protect and support normal birth appear to be unavailable to the vast majority of childbearing women in the United States.”

Cesarean Section: Making the Decision and the Implications

Despite considerable media attention to the concept of “maternal request cesarean,” this systematic national sample of mothers found that the phenomenon barely existed in 2005. Less than one-half of 1% (1 woman out of 252) of mothers in the survey who had a first-time cesarean reported that they had requested it themselves. Another contention – that vaginal birth is a threat to a mother’s pelvic floor – also had not been embraced by the mothers in the survey, with far less than 1% of mothers who had either a first or repeat cesarean citing this as the reason for their cesarean.

Study director Eugene Declercq, PhD, of the Boston University School of Public Health, explained, “The survey found scant evidence of maternal request cesareans. Rather, mothers indicated that the primary decision-maker concerning their cesarean was their care provider, either during or before labor. In contrast to an image of doctors pressured by mothers to perform a cesarean, one-fourth (25%) of those mothers who had a cesarean indicated that they felt pressure from a health professional to undergo their cesarean. This hardly supports the theory that the rapidly rising cesarean rate is based on maternal request. Research is needed into the complex interplay between mothers and their doctors regarding cesarean decision-making to better understand why the U.S. cesarean rate has escalated 41% in the past decade.”

Pain and Its Impact on Postpartum Health

Mothers with cesareans described how abdominal surgery had a big impact on their postpartum health. More than three-quarters (79%) reported pain at the site of the incision in the two months after birth, with 33% citing it as a major problem, and18% of those with a cesarean had ongoing pain at the site of the cesarean scar at least 6 months after giving birth.

Mothers with a cesarean were also twice as likely to report that postpartum pain interfered with their daily life than did mothers with vaginal deliveries with 22% describing that pain interfered "quite a bit" or “extremely” with routine activities compared to 10% of mothers with a vaginal birth.

Missed Opportunities

Given the increased recognition of the importance of the period before and between pregnancies, and the conditions under which women enter pregnancy, the data shows that there are deficiencies in care that could potentially lead to less optimal outcomes for mothers and babies.

Alarmingly, about half of the mothers surveyed had a body mass index considered to be “overweight” (25%) or “obese” (24%) and most mothers did not visit a healthcare provider to plan for a healthy pregnancy.

Less than half (47%) of mothers reported being asked during pregnancy about feelings of depression and only one-third (35%) were asked about physical or verbal abuse. However, more than three-quarters of providers (76%) did discuss signs of premature labor with the women and mothers reported being confident in their ability to recognize them.

Despite the importance of early contact for attachment and breastfeeding, most babies were not in their mothers’ arms during the first hour after birth, with a troubling proportion with staff for routine, non-urgent care (39%). Although 61% of the mothers wanted to breastfeed exclusively as they neared the end of their pregnancy, just 51% of all mothers were doing so one week after birth, a troubling missed opportunity.

On the positive side, most mothers learned of their pregnancies in the early weeks of their pregnancy, started prenatal care well within the first trimester and saw the same provider throughout the pregnancy. Nearly all mothers (96%) reported having received supportive care (comfort, emotional support, information) while in labor from at least one person, most often husbands/partners or the nursing staff.

Information Seeking

During pregnancy, mothers sought information about pregnancy and birth through a variety of sources, with first-time mothers naming books (33%) as their primary information source, followed by friends and relatives (19%), their provider (18%) and the Internet (16%), while experienced mothers named as their leading information source their own past experience (48%), followed by their doctor or midwife (18%), the Internet (13%) and books (12%). Fully two-thirds (68%) had watched one or more of eight television shows specially created to depict childbirth, with more than half of the viewers regularly watching at least one of these shows. Far more mothers were exposed to childbirth through TV shows than through childbirth education classes. Only one-fourth (25%) of women reported taking childbirth education classes during their most recent pregnancy, with a majority (56%) of new mothers taking classes, while only one in eleven (9%) experienced mothers took classes. As women neared the end of pregnancy, most felt confident, but a majority also felt fearful about their upcoming birth.

Mothers and Employment

Listening to Mothers II also explored mothers’ experiences with paid work and childbirth and found mothers under considerable stress to balance employment and family obligations. More than half the mothers (58%) reported being employed during pregnancy, working on average until 10 days before the due date. Only half the mothers who were employed full-time received paid maternity leave. Most mothers (57%) who were employed during pregnancy returned to work by 12 weeks after the birth of their baby. Less than half the mothers (46%) indicated they were able to stay at home as long as they liked.

More than one-third (37%) of mothers reported having to pay for some of their maternity care costs out-of-pocket, with an average expenditure for this group of $1,000.

About the Survey

Harris Interactive® conducted Listening to Mothers II: The Second National U.S. Survey of Women’s Childbearing Experiences on behalf of Childbirth Connection. The survey consisted of 1,373 online and 200 telephone interviews with women who had given birth in a hospital to a single live baby in 2005, with weighting of data to reflect the target population. The weighting included propensity scores, to adjust for the propensity to be online, a methodology developed and validated by Harris Interactive. Interviews were conducted from January 20 through February 21, 2006, and the survey took approximately 30 minutes to complete. The Listening to Mothers II survey will also serve as the basis for quarterly issue briefs that will explore in greater detail the key issues described in the report.

About Childbirth Connection
Childbirth Connection is a national not-for-profit organization that was founded in 1918 as Maternity Center Association. Childbirth Connection has grown from a small group of influential community leaders that was successful in reducing maternal and infant deaths in New York City, to a nationally recognized advocacy organization working to promote high-quality maternity care. Childbirth Connection is a voice for the needs and interests of childbearing families. Our mission is to promote safe, effective and satisfying maternity care for all women and their families through research, education and advocacy. More information about Childbirth Connection may be obtained at www.childbirthconnection.org.

About Lamaze International

Since its founding in 1960, Lamaze International has worked to promote, support and protect normal birth through education and advocacy through the dedicated efforts of professional childbirth educators, providers and parents. An international organization with regional, state and area affiliates, its members and volunteer leaders include childbirth educators, nurses, nurse midwives, physicians, students and consumers. More information about Lamaze International may be obtained at www.lamaze.org.

# # #

Note to editors: For a complete copy of the report, including executive summary, mothers’ verbatim quotes, tables and charts, and comparison of Listening to Mothers II survey results and federal vital and health statistics, please contact Katie Hellmuth at hellmuth@childbirthconnection.org. The survey questionnaire can be found on the Childbirth Connection web site at www.childbirthconnection.org/listeningtomothers

=================================================================

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HOW TO JOIN THE GRASSROOTS NETWORK LIST

Visit the Citizens for Midwifery website at www.cfmidwifery.org .

Scroll to the bottom of the page and enter your e-mail address. It's that simple!

GET INVOLVED!

Are you interested in volunteering with some dynamic women in a supportive environment?

Help CfM promote the Midwives Model of Care!

We have many ways to get more involved ~ committees, state and regional representatives,

and smaller tasks that will help CfM grow stronger and become more effective.

Get in touch with us!

=================================================================

posted in *Maternal Self-Determination* - 0 replies

National Advocates for Pregnant Women - NATIONAL SUMMIT

2006-09-01T23:29:22Z

August 20, 2006
General Summit Information:

NATIONAL SUMMIT TO ENSURE THE HEALTH AND HUMANITY OF PREGNANT AND BIRTHING WOMEN
THURSDAY, JANUARY 17 – SUNDAY, JANUARY 21, 2007
- ATLANTA GA

Great News! Full Information about registering for and getting to the summit is now available at

http://AdvocatesForPregnantWomen.org/

Traducción de Inglese a Español. Por favor ponerse en contacto con nosotros via email:
regitration@advocatesforpregnantwomen.org para indice si usted nececita un intérprete durante la conferencia o necesita la información de la conferencia en Español.

posted in *Maternal Self-Determination* - 0 replies

If you have kids you need to know what Teenscreen is!

2006-08-12T04:49:23Z

If you have kids you need to know what Teenscreen is!

Teenscreens David Shaffer, MD accidentally proves antidepressants cause kids to suicide! OOPS

This is NOT the result these guys were looking for!

http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/63/8/865
Antidepressant Drug Therapy and Suicide in Severely Depressed Children and Adults
A Case-Control Study

Mark Olfson, MD, MPH; Steven C. Marcus, PhD; David Shaffer, MD

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2006;63:865-872.

Context The Food and Drug Administration has issued a boxed warning concerning increased suicidal ideation and behavior associated with antidepressant drug treatment in children and adolescents. It is unknown whether antidepressant agents increase the risk of suicide death in children or adults.

Objective To estimate the relative risk of suicide attempt and suicide death in severely depressed children and adults treated with antidepressant drugs vs those not treated with antidepressant drugs.

Design Matched case-control study.

Setting Outpatient treatment settings in the United States.

Participants Medicaid beneficiaries from all 50 states who received inpatient treatment for depression, excluding patients treated for pregnancy, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or other psychoses, mental retardation, dementia, or delirium. Controls were matched to cases for age, sex, race or ethnicity, state of residence, substance use disorder, recent suicide attempt, number of days since hospital discharge, and recent treatment with antipsychotic, anxiolytic/hypnotic, mood stabilizer, and stimulant medications.

Main Outcome Measures Suicide attempts and suicide deaths.

Results In adults (aged 19-64 years), antidepressant drug treatment was not significantly associated with suicide attempts (odds ratio [OR], 1.10; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.86-1.39 [521 cases and 2394 controls]) or suicide deaths (OR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.52-1.55 [86 cases and 396 controls]). HOWEVER, IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS (AGED 6-18 YEARS), ANTIDEPRESSANT DRUG TREATMENT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY ASSOCIATED WITH SUICIDE ATTEMPTS (OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.12-2.07 [263 CASES AND 1241 CONTROLS]) AND SUICIDE DEATHS (OR, 15.62; 95% CI, 1.65-INFINITY [8 CASES AND 39 CONTROLS]).

Conclusions In these high-risk patients, antidepressant drug treatment does not seem to be related to suicide attempts and death in adults but might be related in children and adolescents. These findings support careful clinical monitoring during antidepressant drug treatment of severely depressed young people.

Author Affiliations: New York State Psychiatric Institute/Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York (Drs Olfson and Shaffer); and University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice, Philadelphia (Dr Marcus).
___________________________________________________________
http://www.teenscreentruth.com/teenscreen_key_players.html

David Shaffer
Psychiatrist, Creator of TeenScreen
David Shaffer was the head and driving force behind the development of the computerized screening tool that TeenScreen employs, the "Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children" (also known as DISC). Following this he helped to devise a shorter computerized version that is easier to use in schools, the "Diagnostic Predictive Scales" (DPS), and a paper and pencil version of the screening tool, the "Columbia Health Screen" (CHS). For more information on the development of the screening tools and how they are used to label children with normal childhood reactions as "mentally ill" and funnel them into the psychiatric / pharmaceutical system, click here.
Shaffer’s Ties to the Pharmaceutical Industry
Shaffer has known connections to the pharmaceutical industry. His resume (see page 20 of this report) includes serving as an expert witness to several drug companies and as a paid consultant on psychotropic drugs.
Shaffer is the past president of The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and currently on their board of directors. AFSP is an organization with known pharmaceutical ties. For example, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer Inc., Solvay Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Johnson & Johnson, all have members on AFSP’s board. Solvay Pharmaceuticals Inc. has provided at least $1,250,000 in the AFSP’s effort to build up a $5 million research fund and Pfizer Inc. has contributed funding for surveys.
The following corporations have provided funding for different conferences held by Shaffer’s AFSP:
• Forest Laboratories, Inc.
• GlaxoSmithKline
• Janssen Pharmaceutica Inc.
• Pfizer Inc.
• Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
• Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories
Shaffer is also on the Executive Board of the “Center for the Advancement of Children’s Mental Health at Columbia University” (CACMH). This organization has partnered with the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) and has received funding from the following corporations:
• AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
• Bristol-Myers Squibb
• Celltech Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
• Eli Lilly and Company
• Forest Labs
• Janssen Pharmaceutica Inc.
• Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
• McNeil Consumer & Specialty Pharmaceuticals
• Pfizer, Inc.
Shaffer’s Statements on TeenScreen
In an interview that Shaffer did in 2003 on TeenScreen, he states: "We did studies to look at the accuracy of the TeenScreen. […] it does identify a whole bunch of kids who aren’t really suicidal, so you get a lot of false-positives. And that means if you’re running a large program at a school, you’re going to cripple the program because you’re going to have too many kids you have to do something about."
When Shaffer was asked how he addresses people who question the dangers of prescribing to the false-positives, he stated: "I think that standing by itself, that criticism is meaningless because we don’t know what harm the antidepressants do, if any, and we don’t know who they do harm to". He is either unaware of the hundreds of suicides and murders caused by children and adults on antidepressants, or he is telling a bald-faced PR lie.
In the same interview, Shaffer confirmed his stance on pro-drugging when he was asked: “Finally, what are your thoughts about non-pharmacological approaches to suicide prevention?” Shaffer says: “... psychotherapy is not terribly effective [...] So if there really is evidence that certain or all antidepressants can cut this cycle of depression, plus stress, plus this rapid response, then that seems to be where the big hope is.” You'll note that he does not mention any statistics of suicide rates dropping due to people being on these drugs—nor does he mention that the FDA has determined that teens are more susceptible to suicidal thoughts while on antidepressants, and that these drugs have been shown in hundreds of cases to cause normal teens to commit suicide and murder out of the blue. Also note that Shaffer does not entertain any alternative solutions such as nutritional methods— and in many cases it has been discovered that depression has been due to improper nutrition and bad diet. For example, a lack of the B vitamins alone in a person's diet can reduce energy and cause mental lethargy, including depression. Shaffer seems to consider that only artificial drugs can combat suicides. Whatever happened to "Say No to Drugs"?
Shaffer Attempted to Block Negative British Findings
In December of 2003 British drug regulators recommended against the use of antidepressants in the treatment of depressed children under 18. They concluded that “their benefits [the drugs] did not outweigh their potential risks”, risks that included suicidal thoughts and self-harm.
According to a December 11, 2003, New York Times article, Shaffer sent a letter, at Pfizer's request, to block the findings of the British drug agency, saying he had concluded that there was insufficient data to restrict the use of the drugs in adolescents. Naturally if these findings were to be widely known to be true, Pfizer, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Wyeth-Ayerst and other large pharmaceutical companies would stand to lose BILLIONS of dollars in revenue.
____________________________________________________________
Sign the Teenscreen petition!
http://www.petitiononline.com/TScreen/petition.html
___________________________________________________
http://theeffexoractivist.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=22
The Out of the Darkness Overnight march” is a scam, perpetrated by The pharmaceutical industry on the grieving loved ones of suiciders!

The pharmaceutical industry is up to it’s dirty tricks again.

“The Out of the Darkness Overnight march”
www.theovernight.org/

and the connection to Teenscreen
http://www.teenscreentruth.com/Teenscreen_Advisory_Board.htm

In 2006, The Overnight will take place in San Francisco on July 22-23, and in Chicago on August 12-13.
Each walker agrees to raise at least $1,000.
Net proceeds will benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, (supposedly to prevent suicide.) How ever this Foundation funds Teenscreen. the real result will be more teens on drugs known to the F.D.A. and others to INCREASE the numbers of suicidal teenagers. This march takes advantage of grieving people and is an example of how far the pharmaceutical industry is willing to go to get kids on drugs! The organizers of teenscreen have been caught lying repeatedly. learn more

Learn more here
http://theeffexoractivist.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=314

http://theeffexoractivist.org/

See cool art posters

http://community.webshots.com/user/effexoractivist

posted in *Maternal Self-Determination* - 0 replies

Cytotec lawsuit news

2006-04-30T20:59:18Z

Forwarded with permission:

From: "Mark R. Bower"
Date: Sat, 29 Apr 2006 18:54:26 -0400
Subject: [cytotec] Cytotec lawsuit news

I am pleased to announce that we successfully settled the Brooklyn birth trauma case I had posted about earlier. The case involved a brain injury to a baby boy, whose mother’s uterus ruptured during a labor stimulated with the drug Cytotec. The baby was spilled out loose into the abdomen, and was born badly depressed by emergency C-section about 9 minutes after the diagnosis of rupture was (belatedly) made. Plaintiffs contended that the labor was not properly monitored, and that the mother was improperly given Cytotec to accelerate her labor. So far as I know, this is the first individual (i.e., not class action) Cytotec case in the country to result in a recovery for the plaintiffs, although it was deliberately brought as a medical malpractice, not products liability, case.

The settlement, which will be structured, is expected to pay the child $40K per year from age 18-21 (“college fund”, although it is unclear that he is capable of higher education), and $11,167 per month for life thereafter, with a projected lifetime payout of approximately $25 million. I am not at liberty to disclose the names of the defendants. Of course, we are delighted with the outcome, and thank all of our list mates who sent thoughts about issues, moral support, and good wishes!

Mark R. Bower, A.A.C.L.M.
Board-Certified in Medical Malpractice (A.B.P.L.A.)
Law Offices of Mark R. Bower, P.C.
11 Park Place, #1100
New York, NY 10007
tel: (212) 240-0700
email: Mark@ BowerLawPC.com
websites: www.BowerLawPC.com and www.Cytoteccase.com

posted in *Maternal Self-Determination* - 0 replies

Midwives now legal in WI

2006-04-14T19:58:38Z

Doyle signs bills on midwives

Associated Press
MADISON, Wis. - Midwives who aren't nurses must obtain a state license under a bill
Gov. Jim Doyle signed into law Monday.

Under the law, Applicants must hold a valid professional midwife credential from the
North American Registry of Midwives or the American College of Nurse Midwives. The
state Department of Regulation and Licensing must develop rules spelling out
medications midwives can administer, such as oxygen, postpartum anti-bleeding agents
and intravenous fluids.

A licensed midwife also must disclose to clients his or her training and experience,
whether the midwife has malpractice insurance and procedures for handling medical
emergencies.

Nobody will be allowed to act as a midwife without a license or a temporary permit from
the state.

The legislation gained momentum after criminal charges were filed in the death of a child
during delivery.

*********************************************************************************************

NOTE from Grandma Midwife:

No fault was ever implied on the part of the midwife, but the prosecutor personally went after the midwife for no license, even though she was fully nationally certified and Wisconsin had no license available. We deluged Wisconsin with letters demanding that they start licensing midwives immediately to prevent bureaucratic abuses like this from happening again, and apparently they saw reason. Once in a while you win one.

posted in *Maternal Self-Determination* - 0 replies

Humanization of Birth Conference

2006-03-12T03:21:50Z

an email my mom forwarded me:
----------------------------------

Subject: Humanization of Birth Conference March 20-22, 2006

Dear friends,

I was the keynote speaker at the annual meeting of the Coalition for the
Improvement of Maternity Services held in Boston in February of this year.
The meeting, which was attended by birth professionals from all over the
world, featured a great deal of significant research on the rising cesarean
section rate and the fact that the opportunity to birth normally is becoming
increasingly rare in many hospitals in both the United States and abroad. In
fact, some hospitals now have C-section rates of over 50 percent. We forget
that a C-section is major surgery that can have major complications.

Normal birth is one of the most empowering, life-changing experiences a
woman can have. But because of the atmosphere of fear and misinformation
that pervades modern hospital obstetrics, and the minds of women throughout
the world, the birth experience is being profoundly altered for millions.

Though there is certainly a place for cesarean birth (and I've done my share
of them), I want my daughters--and women everywhere--to be able to
experience the joy of normal birth, including the deep trust in one's body
that results from this experience. I'm thrilled that women and men from all
over the world feel the same way. In fact, there is a growing international
community of people working together to assure that women are well educated
about childbirth choices--and that normal birth remains the gold standard
for most. To that end, I want you to know about the upcoming Humanization of
Birth Conference that is being held March 20-22, 2006 in Monterrey, N.L.,
Mexico. To learn more, visit www.amayal.com.

Warmly,

Christiane Northrup, M.D.

=======

www.drnorthrup.com

Christiane Northrup, Inc., P.O. Box 199, Yarmouth, ME 04096

If you received this e-mail message from a friend and would like to receive
Dr. Northrup's e-letter on a regular basis, visit:
http://www.drnorthrup.com/user_new.php?f_action=new

posted in *Maternal Self-Determination* - 2 replies

Home Birth Makes the Hit Parade in British Medical Journal

2006-03-12T02:29:00Z

FWD:

Grassroots Network Message 603007

CPM2000 Study 2nd Most Popular BJM article in 2005!

Dear Friends,

Researchers Ken Johnson and Betty-Anne Daviss forwarded the press release below – great news that their study on Certified Professional Midwife-attended home births has received so much attention!

For those of you who are new to this list, you may be interested in CfM’s fact sheet summarizing the results reported in this article at http://www.cfmidwifery.org/pdf/CPM2000.pdf. The fact sheet also includes the URL where you can read and download the article on-line for free.

Sincerely,

Susan Hodges “gatekeeper”

==============================================

Press Release: March 9, 2006

Home Birth Makes the Hit Parade in British Medical Journal

Home birth appears to be the second most popular subject for readers of the British Medical Journal (BMJ), second only to treatments for heart disease. The BMJ has just released its 2005 annual top 10 list of articles receiving the most attention on the web in the first week after publication.

(http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/preview_aboutsite/top-ten2005.shtml)

“Outcomes of planned home births with certified professional midwives: large prospective study in North America”, published last June 18th, 2005, was the third most popular article among several hundred published in the BMJ in the year 2005.

Given that only a minority of women in developed countries choose home births, why is it that such an unlikely topic should hold such a prominent position in one of the most prestigious medical journals in the world? The study is, in fact, timely. As home birthers are statistically among the more educated in developed countries, this study – the largest prospective home birth study ever published – provides a scholarly juxtaposition to birth conducted in the standard medical system.

In spite of such interest in natural birth, randomized controlled trials are also presently being formulated to study whether or not outcomes are better if cesareans are conducted on all women regardless of indication. The push in this direction could not be farther from the unassisted vaginal birth that many women still deliberately choose. While there is a movement to render vaginal birth an “extreme sport,” it is still preferred by many women in order to have more control and engage in a normal biological function that women have performed for centuries.

The BMJ editors one paragraph summary succinctly describes the research:

Giving birth: home can be better than hospital

For women with low risk pregnancies in North America, giving birth at home bears similar risks of intrapartum and neonatal mortality as giving birth in hospital, but planned home births are associated with lower rates of medical interventions. In a prospective cohort study, Johnson and Daviss (p 1416) evaluated the safety of home births involving certified midwives in 5418 women who intended to give birth at home when labour began. The study participants experienced substantially lower rates of epidurals, episiotomies, forceps deliveries, vacuum extractions, and caesarean sections than women with low risk pregnancies who gave birth in hospital.

In the last 12 days of June, 6,500 different users accessed the article on the web and in July an additional 2,500 different users. Interest has been sustained since then – 1,250 to 2,000 different users have gone to the article each month since then. The abstract has been accessed more than 7,000 times, the full text HTML over 25,000 times and over 6,200 copies of the article have been downloaded as a PDF. In total the article has been accessed in some form almost 40,000 times since publication.

The article and 24 letters to the editor (rapid responses) from around the world are available FREE OF CHARGE at BMJ.com. Go to past issues, choose June 18, 2005 and look under “This Week in the BMJ” to see the summary from the editors and 5 of the letters to the editor from places as far away as India. Go to the papers section of that issue to download a copy of the paper and read 19 other letters to the editor (below the article).

The authors can be contacted for comment or interview at Ken_LCDC_Johnson@phac-aspc.gc.ca , (613) 957 0339 or Betty-Anne@rogers.com , (613) 730 0282.

Other BMJ facts:

709,000 unique users go to the BMJ website every month; monthly page impressions: 6,763,200

The print version of the BMJ goes out to 107,000 subscribers in Britain and 15,500 subscribers internationally

Local editions of the BMJ (in the local language) are published in China, Greece, the Middle East, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Romania, South East Asia, Turkey, and West Africa.

Data:

In the initial week after publication, the CPM2000 article here were the stats for “hits”

Outcomes of planned home births with certified professional midwives: large prospective study in North America. Kenneth C Johnson, Betty-Anne Daviss. BMJ 2005;330:1416, doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7505.1416 [Abstract]2211 [Abridged text]699 [Abridged PDF]230 [Full text]7681 [PDF]2549

(http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/hitparade/20050618.shtml#PAPERS)

=================================================================

SHARE WITH OTHERS IN YOUR AREA!

Feel free to forward the Grassroots Network messages to others who might be interested!

HOW TO JOIN THE GRASSROOTS NETWORK LIST

Visit the Citizens for Midwifery website at www.cfmidwifery.org .

Scroll to the bottom of the page and enter your e-mail address. It's that simple!

GET INVOLVED!

Are you interested in volunteering with some dynamic women in a supportive environment?

Help CfM promote the Midwives Model of Care!

We have many ways to get more involved ~ committees, state and regional representatives,

and smaller tasks that will help CfM grow stronger and become more effective.

Get in touch with us!

=================================================================

posted in *Maternal Self-Determination* - 0 replies

inmates shackled during labor

2006-03-04T06:11:12Z

Prisons Often Shackle Pregnant Inmates in Labor - New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/02/national/02shackles.html?hp&ex=1141362000&en=6f6390e020cbb341&ei=5094&partner=homepage

Amnesty International did a thorough state by state study of this back in the late '90s, and Sheila Kitzenger spearheaded a successful effort to correct the problem in the UK prior to that -- http://sheilakitzinger.com/

In most states, the problem can be remedied through regulatory reforms without the need for legislation. All it takes to get the ball rolling in most states is for one citizen to petition the regulatory agency to amend the regs. I'd be glad to help with the research if anyone is interested.

posted in *Maternal Self-Determination* - 4 replies

Informed consent for off-label meds

2006-03-02T08:07:56Z

After 4 years of persistent effort by my friend Maddy Oden, "Cytotec" legislation has finally been introduced in the California Assembly. Maddy is the Oakland woman who lost her daughter and granddaughter to a cytotec induced uterine rupture in early 2002. more3 info at http://tatia.org/

San Francisco Chronicle
Off-label disclosure on drugs proposed
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/02/25/BUG2IHEGIK1.DTL

MEASURE : A.B. No. 2856
AUTHOR(S) :
Hancock.
TOPIC : Informed consent:
prescription medication off-label use.

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=ab_2856&sess=CUR&house=A&search_type=bill_update

###

posted in *Maternal Self-Determination* - 1 reply

*Maternal Self-Determination*'s topics - tribe.net

MANA's response to AMA

birth petition

*share your birth story here*

Jesus

free and easy way to help homeless children

MomsRising: Delta kicks breastfeeding mom off plane! Sign the petition now!

spontaneous delivery and funky birth myths

"Pushed" by Jennifer Block

Birth Center Closing

drug pushers employ media to target pregnancy depression

Every PARENT NEEDS TO SEE THIS IMPORTANT DOCUM.

2 Midwifery Bills expected in NC

Mother dies after [cesarean]

2007

seeking home or waterbirth to photograph

Art photographer seeks birth to photograph

Summit Follow-UP

Cytotec Kills!! Do Not Use to induce

Listening to Mothers II Survey now available!

National Advocates for Pregnant Women - NATIONAL SUMMIT

If you have kids you need to know what Teenscreen is!

Cytotec lawsuit news

Midwives now legal in WI

Humanization of Birth Conference

Home Birth Makes the Hit Parade in British Medical Journal

inmates shackled during labor

Informed consent for off-label meds

Maternal Self-Determination's topics - tribe.net

share your birth story here