hi everyone,
I am wanting to know if anyone can help with a petition being conducted
through CARES to maintain vbac is a safe and viable option in birth
centres. The word is that the new perinatal protocols will be calling
for all vbacs to be monitored by ECG and thus will remove them from
birth centre care.
I have a hard copy petition and we are working on an online version but
need to know if there is anyone out there that I can send the hard copy
to get some signatures? I am calling on the maternity coalition
although I know everyone is busy with NMAP -I am too!!, and also others
who are willing to keep vbac safe from induction, augmentation and the
other wonderful types of care that can increase the rates of rupture and
decrease the woman focused care.
Please help as we need to move quickly on this!
cheers
Jo Bainbridge
founding member CARES SA
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
phone: 08 8388 6918
birth with trust, faith & love...
Dear Jo
Send me your online version as an attachment and I’ll download it and get a few signatures for you.
Have you looked at what “A Guide to Effective Care in Pregnancy and Childbirth” Third Ed. (Enkin et al) says about management?
The last paragraph of the author’s conclusions on page 370 is quoted here
“The care of a woman in labor after a previous lower segment cesarean section should be little different from that of any woman in labor. Oxytocin induction or stimulation, and epidural analgesia, may be used for the usual indications. Careful monitoring of the condition of the mother and fetus is required, as for all pregnancies. The hospital facilities required do not differ from those that should be available for all women giving birth, irrespective of their previous history.”
You should be able to argue that the monitoring is far more efficient with one-to-one care in a birth centre. With constant care from the one attendant there is more likely hood that impending scar rupture or fetal distress will be picked up earlier. The midwives know the woman and her history very well as they have helped her construct her birth plans during her pregnancy.. There is more risk of potential problems NOT being picked up quickly when attendants are viewing monitors at a nursing station and not in constant attendance with the woman.
As you no doubt know, there have been quite a few successful VBACS at home during the last decade.
I have now attended three successful VBACS at home and am due to attend another next week (with obstetric backup organised if we need to transfer to hospital for another C/S) The obstetrician is totally supportive of my client’s plans and is looking forward to my call to tell her the baby has been born at home.
You may be able to get the SA figures related to VBACS at home from your DofH Perinatal Stats. Branch. (Midwives Data Collection)
Good luck with your efforts to increase the choices for women.
Jan Robinson
