Thought you might be interested to see the reply I received from Senator
Tchen!
Andrea.
----- Original Message -----
From: Tchen, Tsebin (Senator)
To: 'Andrea Bilcliff'
Sent: Friday, July 20, 2001 5:43 PM
Subject: RE: Independent Midwives
Dear Ms Bilcliff,
You are probably not aware that Senator Eggleston is a doctor and before
going into the Senator had a practice in outback WA. So he would have a
good idea on how a birth's natural process might turn out to be a
life-threatening medical process.
Alan Eggelston is an open-minded and easy-going person, so I think you can
be sure that he does not discount the benefits of natural child birth to
both the mother and the child - provided there is adequate and accessible
medical back-up.
I am not sure if midwives are legally liable the way obstetrecians are. My
impression from evidence I heard from midwife representatives at the senate
inquiry into child birth was that they are not. I don't think the midwife
representatives claimed any expertise for assessing the condition of the
festus, and they apparently were releived of their responsibilities during
birth once a doctor took over. Your argument that child birth is a natural
process and should be allowed to take place naturally is a central theme,
but I have yet to hear a representative midwife practitioner state
categorically at what point a child birth is no longer natural but the
health of both the mother and the baby is still unimpaired.
I think the real issue should not be whether there is a "best" child birth
procedure or which profession is "best" at child birth, but how these
professions should work together to ensure the best outcome.
Tsebin Tchen
-----Original Message-----
From: Andrea Bilcliff [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Friday, 20 July 2001 4:25 PM
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Subject: Re: Independent Midwives
Dear Senator Eggleston,
I read with much interest your response to Suzanne Cooper (copied below). I
agree entirely, that women have a responsibility to their unborn child to
ensure that the services of modern medical skills and technology are
available if needed.
Healthy pregnant women choosing to birth with a midwife at home or in the
hospital should not be denied access to such care IF NEEDED.
Governments ALSO have a duty to ensure that women have unrestricted access
to this care.
Unfortunately, this is not the case in Australia. Healthy pregnant women who
make the informed choice to birth with independent midwives are saving the
Government thousands of dollars in often unnecessary & expensive antenatal
testing and screening, interventions, and the resultant morbidity associated
with them. Yet they are often denied access to back up medical care and
their midwives are refused visiting rights. Now the midwives are being
denied access to insurance!
Many of the complications associated with birth in healthy women are as a
result of interfering with the natural process.
Midwives respect the natural process and are highly skilled in 'normal'
pregnancy and birth. They can recognise deviations from 'normal' and refer
when needed.
Obstetricians are highly skilled in the 'abnormal'. Midwives recognise and
respect this expertise. Unfortunately midwives are not afforded the same
respect and recognition.
Are you suggesting that in the "modern world" there is no place for the
natural process? That all women should have their babies extracted by
instruments or surgically removed? Or are you suggesting that obstetricians
should support women in labour continuously for the 12, 24 or however many
hours it takes? I'd like to see that!
I strongly recommend that you read the world-wide evidence that supports the
safety and cost effectiveness of midwifery. You are right...this is 2001 not
1701. It is about time Australia looked at what is happening out there in
the "modern world"!
Yours sincerely,
Andrea Bilcliff.
-----Original Message-----
From: Eggleston, Alan (Senator) <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: 'Sue Cooper' <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Thursday, July 19, 2001 2:44 PM
Subject: RE: Independent Midwives
YOU SHOULD THANK THE LORD YOU DID NOT HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS SUCH AS A
SHOULDER DYSTOCIA OR A HAEMORAGE ... WOMEN HAVE REWPONSIBILITY TO THE
UNBORN CHILD TO ENSURE THAT THE SERVICES OF MODERN MEDICAL SKILLS AND
TECHNOLOGY
ARE AVAILABLE IF NEEDED.
THE INSURANCE PREMIUMS PAID BT DOCTORS ENGAGED IN OBSTETRICS ARE SO HIGH
BECAUSE THE ELEMENT OF RISK IS SUCH THAT IF THERE IS ANY SUGGESTION OF
SUBSTANDARD SERVICE COURTS WILL AWARD PUNITIVE DAMAGES.
IF MIDWIVES WANT TO PRACTISE IN THE MODERN WORLD THEY SHOULD DO MEDICINE
BECOME DOCTORS AND TRAIN AS OBSTETRECIANS.
THIS IS 2001 NOT 1701.
--
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