January 2013

New Study Shows CNM & CPM -Led Birth Centers Improve Outcomes, Lower Health Care Costs

by faithgibson on January 31, 2013

in Contemporary Childbirth Politics

http://www.birthcenters.org/content/new-study-shows-midwife-led-birth-centers-improve-outcomes-and-lower-health-care-costs I am delighted to post this link to the newly -published National Birth Center Study II, based upon prospective data collected by the American Association of Birth Centers.  A PDF of the study is linked to the press release.  The outcomes are excellent and include births where care was led by both types of […]

Maternal Death in the United States: A Problem Solved or a Problem Ignored?

by faithgibson on January 30, 2013

in Contemporary Childbirth Politics

J Perinat Educ. 2008 Spring; 17(2): 9–13. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2409165/ Ina May Gaskin, CPM, MA doi: 10.1624/105812408X298336 PMCID: PMC2409165 Author information ► Copyright and License information ► Abstract The United States has a higher ratio of maternal deaths than at least 40 other countries, even though it spends more money per capita for maternity care than any other. The lack of a comprehensive, confidential system […]

Five Models, Five Perspectives, Five Insights — Real answers to issue of safety & danger in normal childbirth & physiologic CB practices

by faithgibson January 22, 2013

Safety & the maternity-care continuum in an essentially 21st century healthy population: Surely that is one of the most boring titles that’s ever been my misfortune to write and yours to read. But what I have to say is certainly not boring. Turns out that the realistic risks associated with childbirth in the 21st century in developed […]

Read the full article →

Historical Context for Contemporary Obstetrical Policies – a work-n-progress

by faithgibson January 8, 2013

Part 1 ~:~ The most profound change in childbirth practices in the history of the human species The Invention of the American Way of Birth: How healthy childbearing women became the patients of a surgical speciality and normal childbirth was turned into a surgical procedures ‘performed’ by medical doctors under general anesthesia  Most people assume […]

Read the full article →

The Cost of Having a Baby in the United States ~ from Childbirth Connection

by faithgibson January 7, 2013

What is at stake for payers? Not only do unwarranted c-sections create greater health risks for women and babies, this study shows that they also dramatically increase costs for employers and, through Medicaid programs, state and federal budgets. Medicaid programs paid nearly $4,000 more for c-sections than vaginal births, while for commercial insurers the difference […]

Read the full article →

← Previous Entries