I support all of you who are defending this program against the "attack" by
was it Dr. Mudge. However, I would like to offer a note of caution. Australia
is not the Netherlands in many ways though many of its health care programs
are excellent. Howeverthere seems to be simultaneously an attempt by US based
healthcare corporations to get get involved in healthcare in Australia. These
corporations are entirely profit based (not that I think profit in itself is
a big evil, but I do think social responsibility is critical in health care)
and will erode great programs by cost cutting and diminishing services. This
happened to early discharge programs in the US and continues to this day.
Women can be discharged from 6 hours after a spontaneous vaginal birth or as
soon as they are stable. The federal government had to pass a law making it
illegal for hospitals to discharge women and babies before 48 hours after the
birth. The women get another 24 hours if they had a c/s. Of course they get
no follow up care other than phone numbers to call if they are concerned.
They can initiate care, but it is not offerred to them. I guess my note of
caution to early discharge programs is that support services are GLUED to
them as I believe (without any RCT's at my finger tips) that they are
critical to mother and baby's well being. Oh! all of the above is not true
about midwifery led programs in the USA. I am talking about normal mainstream
OB led care. marilyn
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