Re: [ozmidwifery] Fw: 'Higher risk' in midwife deliveries (http://theaustralian.com.au report)

[Emily]

can you let us know how the c-section conference goes Rachel ?

emily

wump fish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

Thanks Denise! What a lovely response.

Moving to Australia has re-ignited my fighting spirit regarding women's
birth rights. There is so much to fight for and so many motivated, strong
midwives and birthing women. I am looking forward to what we can all achieve
together for the future of childbirth in Australia.

By the way, is anyone going to the Wesley Hospital (Qld) on Saturday for the
'C-section: the way of the future' conference? Should be
interesting/infuriating.

Rachel


>From: "Denise Hynd" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Reply-To: ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au
>To:
>Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Fw: 'Higher risk' in midwife deliveries
>(http://theaustralian.com.au report)
>Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2005 18:18:02 +0800
>
>Dear Rachel
>I find your fe! dd back very perceptive
>
>it seems that the obs are behaving
>>like threatened children.
>And previously
>
>Regarding the 3rd degree tear stats. I would be interested to know where
>this research is from. As far a I know no-one has researched physiological
>birth and it's impact on the perineum - probably because so few women
>experience it.
>
>I hope all future midwives have half the abilities you have shown on this
>list in only 2 emails
>You have given me great cheer for the futre of midwifery!!
>
>
>
>Denise Hynd
>
>"Let us support one another, not just in philosophy but in action, for the
>sake of freedom for all women to choose exactly how and by whom, if by
>anyone, our bodies will be handled."
>
>- Linda Hes
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: "wump fish" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To:
>Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2005 12:02 PM
>Subject: RE: [ozmidwifery] Fw: 'Higher risk' in midwife deliveries
>(http://theaustralian.com.au report)
>
>
>>As a newcomer to Australia from the UK - it seems that the obs are
>>behaving like threatened children.
>>
>>Firstly, their stats can flawed. Other developed countries have also
>>looked at the evidence and concluded that midwife-led, community-based
>>care is effective, efficient and safe. For example, the UK is moving
>>towards a midwifery-led birth centre model based on research about what
>>women want and what is safe.
>>
>>Secondly, even if midwifery-led birth is unsafe (which it is not). Surely
>>women's right to choose this option should be maintained. Women should be
>>able to access a wide range of birth options from independent mws to
>>elective c-section. Interesting that a woman's right to opt for an
>>elective c-section/induction is upheld by the obs despite the wealth of
>>research demonstrating it is not the safest choice for mother or baby.
>>However, they want to block a woman's right to choose midwifery-led care
>>based on safety claims. Is this about safety or power?
>>
>>I am deeply disturbed by the amount of hostility directed at mws by obs.
>>We should be working together - mw being the experts in physiological
>>birth, and obs being the experts in complicated birth.
>>
>>Rachel
>>
>>
>>>From: "Sally-Anne Brown" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>>>Reply-To: ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au
>>>To:
>>>Subject: [ozmidwifery] Fw: 'Higher risk' in midwife deliveries
>>>(http://theaustralia! n.com.au report)
>>>Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2005 08:23:49 +1000
>>>
>>>
>>>----- Original Message -----
>>>From: Sally
>>>To: Sally-Anne Brown
>>>Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2005 8:11 AM
>>>Subject: 'Higher risk' in midwife deliveries (http://theaustralian.com.au
>>>report)
>>>
>>>
>>> Sally ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) suggested you might be interested in
>>>this http://theaustralian.com.au report.
>>>
>>>
>>> 'Higher risk' in midwife deliveries
>>> Adam Cresswell, Health editor
>>> 30 August 2005
>>>
>>> THE safety of midwife-led birthing units has been doubted
>>>and the most reliable evidence suggests babies born in such centres are
>>>85 per cent more likely to die during or shortly after birth, compared
>>>with babies! born in major hospitals.
>>>
>>>
>>> Leading obstetrician Andrew Pesce said yesterday that a
>>>review by the international Cochrane Collaboration - considered the best
>>>source of evidence for medical claims - found that home-like settings for
>>>births were associated with "modest benefits".
>>>
>>> Dr Pesce said these benefits included higher rates of
>>>breastfeeding, more satisfied mothers and slightly higher rates of
>>>spontaneous vaginal childbirth (as opposed to surgical deliveries).
>>>
>>> However, the Sydney-based Dr Pesce - who is also secretary
>>>of the industrial lobby group the National Association of Specialist
>>>Obstetricians and Gynaecologists - said the review, published late last
>>>year, also found babies born in home-like settings such as midwife-run
>>>centr! es ran an 85 per cent higher risk of death around the time of
>>>childbirth. However, the overall rate is still very low - about eight
>>>babies in 1000 live births in 2002, according to the Australian Bureau of
>>>Statistics.
>>>
>>> Dr Pesce also said studies that midwives sometimes used to
>>>back up their safety claims were scientifically inferior, usually because
>>>their subjects were not randomised - an accepted technique to remove
>>>bias.
>>>
>>> "Everybody says it's been shown to be safe - but it's not.
>>>It's been shown to be reasonably safe, but without question there's a
>>>worry about increased risk of perinatal mortality," he said.
>>>
>>> "There's a positive effect (of birthing centres), but it's a
>>>lot lower than you would be led to believe by people who advocate this
>>>model."
>>>
>>> Kathleen Fahy, professor of midwifery at the University of
>>>Newcastle, said Dr Pesce was using the Cochrane deaths data "to imply
>>>that something is significant when it isn't".
>>>
>>> "What's going on here is a desire to prevent midwives from
>>>practising their profession, and using safety to do so," she said.
>>>
>>> Sally Tracy, associate professor of midwifery practice
>>>development at the University of Technology Sydney, said she had recently
>>>finalised a study using data from more than 1million Australian births,
>>>which would be published shortly in a major medical journal.
>>>
>>> Although prevented under medical journal requirements from
>>>discussing the findings before publication, she said the results were
>>>positive for mid! wife centres.
>>>
>>> In an article to be published next month in NASOG's
>>>newsletter, Dr Pesce - who also represents obstetricians and
>>>gynaecologists on the Australian Medical Association's federal council -
>>>said the Cochrane review looked at the results of six different trials,
>>>together involving 8677 women.
>>>
>>> The review found birth centre care was associated with
>>>"modest" reductions in some medical interventions, such as episiotomies -
>>>where a cut is made in the perineum to assist birth and prevent
>>>uncontrolled tearing.
>>>
>>> However, Dr Pesce wrote that the study found higher perineal
>>>lacerations in midwife care, so the overall rate of injury in that area
>>>was similar.
>>>
>>> "In summary, there is now good-quality evidence of higher
>>>risk of perinatal death in birth centres, with only modest reductions in
>>>some medical interventions," he wrote.
>>>
>>>
>>> Click here to sign
>>> up for daily headlines
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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