"It worries me a bit, I must say," he said. "We're
getting requests, can they put their caesareans off from this week until the
week after. We'd prefer not to."
Heaven forbid some of them might deliver naturally
while waiting!!!
CANBERRA should bring forward its baby bonus
rise to reduce the risk of women delaying births, doctors say.
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians
and Gynaecologists said it had told the Government it was concerned mothers
and babies were at risk if people delayed births to cash in on the bonus. The
payout is due to rise from $3166 to $4000 next Saturday.
Melbourne's maternity hospitals said they had not received requests to
delay births.
"I haven't had any problem with women asking for advice on delaying birth,"
Danielle Wilkins, from the Monash Medical Centre, said. "I think women don't
think it is such a big change."
But college spokeswoman Julia Serafin said it had told the Government birth
delays could "jeopardise the provision of optimal care and put at risk the
wellbeing of the mother and baby".
Dr Andrew Child, director of women's and children's health services at
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney, has also raised concerns. Dr Child, a
past president of the college, said it would cost the Government about $5
million to bring the increase date forward to tomorrow, based on 5000 babies a
week born in Australia.
"If I were (Health Minister) Tony Abbott, I would think very seriously
about that," Dr Child said. He said $5 million was not much compared with the
possible health risks.
The call comes after a study found more than 1000 births were "moved" in
2004 so that the parents would not miss out on the baby bonus. The study, by
economists Andrew Leigh, from the Australian National University, and Joshua
Gans, from Melbourne University, found more children were born on July 1,
2004, than on any other date in the past 30 years. They estimated about 1089
births were "moved" to capture the bonus.
Dr Leigh said they were concerned a similar pattern could occur this
year.
"One thousand births were moved two years ago and we don't know what the
health implications of that is, but we don't think that could be a good
thing," he said. "We're asking for persons to put the health of their child
ahead of a few hundred dollars.
"A safe late-June delivery is much better than a lucrative early July
delivery."
Dr Leigh said they wanted the Government to phase in the second rise that
takes it up to $5000, due on July 1, 2008, over June that year. That could be
done by increasing it by $50 a day over 20 days during the month.
Dr Child said there had been a "significant number of requests" from women
due to have caesareans at the Royal Prince Alfred to move their delivery date.
"It worries me a bit, I must say," he said. "We're getting requests, can they
put their caesareans off from this week until the week after. We'd prefer not
to."
Dr Child said up to three elective caesareans were performed daily at the
hospital.
There was "a bit of a bank-up developing" from July 3, while there were
still quite a few spaces available this week, which was unusual.
"The ones we're mainly worried about are the ones gone past the due date
and they want to keep on waiting," he said.
MONEY FOR BABIESThe baby bonus lump sum payment, known as the
Maternity Payment, was first introduced on July 1, 2004. It was worth $3000
per child. From July 1, 2006, the bonus is due to increase to $4000. >From July
1, 2008, it is due to increase to $5000.
1150845421311-theage.com.auhttp://www.theage.com.au/news/national/doctors-want-premature-start-to-baby-bonus-rise/2006/06/24/1150845421311.htmltheage.com.au2006-06-25Doctors
want premature start to baby bonus riseSarah
PriceNational
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