Births induced early
Adam Cresswell, Health editor
05dec06
OBSTETRICIANS are inducing women to give birth early so they can attend medical
conferences held when birthrates are at their highest.
An analysis has found the typical Australian obstetrics conference, lasting
several days, causes 4 per cent of the expected births to be shifted, in most
cases bringing it forward by a few days.
In Australia, say the study's authors - from the Australian National University
and Melbourne Business School - this means 116 babies are born on a different
date than nature intended, while in the US 755 births a year are affected.
They say it is plausible this may increase the risk of birth complications.
Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
president Christine Tippett said: "They've done a lot of work looking at it,
but I'm a bit sceptical.
"If there was some need to change, of course we'd look at it very seriously -
but I would need to have some better data."
privacy terms © The Australian
