Misinformation in Daily Telegraph 7/6/02

[S.J.F.ELECTRICAL.]

Dear Ozmidid listers Regarding my eamil as below I forgot to say to any who read the article your comments to the editor and journalist would also be appreciated Denise   Sent: Saturday, June 08, 2002 3:36 PM Subject: Misinformation in Daily Telegraph 7/6/02 Dear Anna Patty, I write to request that you correct the misinformation and bias in your Daily Telegraph article "Doctors oppose midwife unit".   Firstly Dr Cocks and the AMA ignore the fact that over 2 decades of reviews and research of maternity service outcomes around the world refutes his statement that "1 in 5 births need delivery by caesarean ".  The WHO consensus is that in low risk healthy populations, such as the Blue Mountains, 1 in 10 births may require caesarean birth . Also not acknowledged nor refuted in these and similar AMA responses to any suggested changes of the Australian maternity services status quo, are several other related facts; 1) Research and experience everywhere shows a correlation between our currently high rates of intervention in birth (such as "1 in 5 births or more having delivery by caesarean ") and medical dominance of maternity services. Rather the AMA and your article re-enforces this misconception that pregnancy and birth need medical surveillance and treatment to be safe! 2) There is no research which shows midwife led care is riskier for healthy pregnant women than medical care as advocated by the AMA and suggested your article . In fact the reverse is the case, thus the WHO and international research based best practice advocates and demonstrates that the midwife is the safest, most cost effective and beneficial carer for normal pregnancy, birth and post natal period.  Thus the opposition of the AMA to this proposal for a midwife led unit not only dismisses this evidence but offends the professional ability and integrity of the Blue Mountain midwives in implying that these or any midwives would not transfer in advance "at risk women" to birth at an apprpriate hospital!   Additionally the misinformation of your article not only dismisses the right of women and their families in the Blue Mountains to choose with whom and where they birth, it reduces access or seeking by readers to balanced and accurate information on which to make such decisions.    Finally the experience of the Community Midwifery Program in Perth WA proves that Dr Cocks is wrong in stating that insurers and taxpayers would not be happy to financially support a midwifery run service. The WA Health Department and WA Riskcover not only continue to fund this scheme, but the latter took up the midwives insurance last year on the proviso that it remain outside hospital, for the outcomes of this program are more positive than any other maternity service in Australia! The Community Midwifery Program is a government funded homebirth program in Perth WA which has been operating since 1996 and is the template of the National Maternity Action Plan (NMAP).The NMAP document can be read and downloaded at:  http://www.communitymidwifery.iinet.net.au/nmap . Maternity Coalition (http://www.maternitycoalition.org.au) is  a national consumer group driving the National Maternity Action Plan . As a MC member and midwife who has worked on the Community Midwifery Program WA I can support my statements with facts and expound on them should you need further help to correct the impact of this current misleading article!   Yours sincerely   Denise Hynd.   CC Maternity Coalition NSW & National President, NSW Midwives Association Community Midwifery Program WA Ozmidwifery List