childbirth

[Elizabeth McAlpine]

Title: Dear Senator Crowley,

Dear Member of Parliament,   There was some little choice for women in childbirth but now, with the withdrawal of professional indemnity insurance, that choice has been eliminated. The midwifery model of care, recommended by the WHO and supported by research evidence, is under threat.   I urge you to intervene with the federal government (which is abdicating its responsibility to the taxpayers of Australia), to act in the interests of public health and human rights and to follow the recommendations in ‘Rocking the Cradle’ 1999.   The childbirth issue has enormous implications for women and children’s health, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, women’s rights, hospital and medicines lack of public scrutiny and audit, the practices of insurance companies, economics and cost to the taxpayers to name a few.   How women birth has profound effects on society and I refer you to www.birthworks.com/primal health and www.birthpsychology.com/  to peruse studies on the effects of interventionist practices on later life.   Hot on the heels of the PI insurance for midwives in Australia, comes the ‘Good Birth Guide’ produced by the Sunday Times July 15th, in conjunction with www.drfoster.co.uk  which informs women so they may demand change in childbirth. The work during that report may have acted as catalyst for the RCOG to help co-ordinate a national audit to investigate interventionist practices with the aim being new guidelines on caesareans and the use of induction.   Hopefully, Australia will do the same thing in the near future – but not without a push I fear.  I can recommend the past regional officer for Women’s and Children’s Health, WHO, Dr. Marsden Wagner (author of ‘Pursuing the Birth Machine’ the search for appropriate birth technology) to research all hospitals in Australia as drfoster did in the U.K. [EMAIL PROTECTED]  with the aim of publishing Australia’s Good Birth Guide.    Please push hard for legislation to   1.        recognize midwives as the primary care giver for normal pregnancy and birth. 2.        PI insurance or no-fault clause like that operating in New Zealand to allow midwives to practice for the benefit of women and their babies.   Also, for obstetricians to be enabled to support midwives when required in their practice without fear of litigation and to obviate some of the need for interventionist practices. 3.        Require hospitals to accept admitting and visiting rights for midwives. 4.        Funding for home birth should women choose this option.   Yours sincerely, Elizabeth McAlpine