Birth in America : Celebration or catastrophe?

[Guest guest]

https://www.oprah.com/plugger/templates/BeOnTheShow.jhtml?action=respond & plugId=B2100004 BIRTH IN AMERICA- It is safer to have a baby in Cuba & /or the Czech Republic than theUnited States. The US ranks 28th in infant mortality amongindustrialized nations, one of the highest in developing countries,yet we spend the most money on birth. (Child Health USA 2002,Maternal Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and ServicesAdministration, US Department of Health and Human Serviceshttp://mchb.hrsa.gov/chusa02/main_pages/page_03.htm )- Each year 4.3 million babies are born in America- Fewer than 5% of these

births occur naturally- Although the majority of pregnancies in the US are consideredhealthy, the presence of technology at birth is the norm.Interventions are experienced by most moms today.- The United States has an unregulated health care system whichspends more on birth than any other country in the world!- The US Center for Disease Control reports an increase in cesareansup 8% in just one year, meaning that 1 in 3 women will give birth viaCesarean.- The neonatal mortality rate of babies born via cesarean is 2 timesthat of babies born vaginally.- The maternal mortality rate of women who give birth via cesarean is4 times higher than women who give birth vaginally.-"… the World Health Organization concluded that … there was nojustification for any region to have a cesarean rate more than 10 to15 percent."-The United States ranks behind at least 30 other nations in

maternalmortality rates according to the World Health Organization. In 2003,the United States reported 12.1 maternal deaths per 100,000 livebirths, up from 7.5 per 100,000 in 1982. However the CDC estimatesthat maternal deaths are underreported by one half to two thirds, andthat half of US maternal deaths are preventable. The rate of deathdue to childbirth has not decreased since 1982, and increased in1999. (Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. Ina May Gaskin. Bantam, 2003.pp 274-277)- Both Singapore and Sweden ranked the lowest in maternal and infantmortality rates, and both have cesarean rates around 7% and themajority of their births are supported by the midwifery model ofcare.-Ina May Gaskin a well respected Midwife, has started a quilt projectcalled "Safe Motherhood Quilt", each piece is devoted to a woman inthe U.S. who has died of unnecessary pregnancy-related causes, and isthe voice for women who can

no longer speak for themselves. You canview some of the patches herehttp://www.rememberthemothers.net/quilt/thumbnails.php?album=4.- Obstetricians are trained to view birth as "a catastrophe waitingto happen or a sickness."-The Midwifery Model of care views pregnancy, labor and birth asnormal, and supports the physical, psychological, and social well-being of the mother throughout the childbearing cycle."-There is not one study that proves that Hospital Birth is safer thanhomebirth. In fact most studies will prove that births in a woman-centered model of care have been proven to reduce the incidence ofbirth injury, trauma, and cesarean section.- The typical birth in this country is neither normal nor healthy.What has become the norm is a system of aggressive interventionsknown as "active management"

of pregnancy, labor, delivery, and thecare of newborns.- 90% of all babies born in hospitals begin life with drugs in theirsystem. We are not talking about street drugs such as cocaine, butabout drugs given to mothers by physicians and nurses—artificialhormones to stop, start or speed up labor; drugs to sedate, andanesthetics to numb sensations. None of these drugs have been fullytested on babies to ascertain the full extent of risk they pose for ababy's liver and brain.-There is a drug used in Pregnancy/Labor called Cytotec that is notapproved be the FDA that has claimed the lives of thousands ofmothers in childbirth since its use started, and is still used widelyin hospitals today.- Research is now showing us that our society is a product of how wewelcome and raise our children, and when babies come into this worldtraumatized from interventions that are common, there is an increasein depression,

suicide, and attachment issues through out life!- With love and connection, babies develop minds that are coherentand flexible, ready in turn to make compassionate and empathicconnections as they grow.There are so many other startling statistics that could be listed. Wecan change this, but we must act!Here are just a few well respected member of out community whichcould speak on birth, tell Oprah about them:-Ina May Gaskin http://inamay.com/biography.php-Peggy O'Marahttp://www.mothering.com/guest_editors/quiet_place/113.html-Dr. Gladys McGeary, MD-Joseph Chilton Pierce- Joel Evans, MD http://www.drjoelevans.com/- Christiane Northrup, MD http://www.drnorthrup.com/-Suzanne Arms http://www.birthingthefuture.com/btf_index.html- Michel Odent, MD http://www.wombecology.com/- Sarah J Buckley, MD http://www.sarahjbuckley.com/And some celebrates that would be good spokespeople on having gentlehome births:- Pamela Anderson- Meryl Streep- Demi Moore- John Travolta's wife, Kelly Preston,- Singer Nellie Furtado- Cindy Crawford- Noah Wyle's with Tracey WyleAlso, please know that there are organizations that you can support.Here are a few which are already working on changing how birth isviewed and treated in this

country:-The Coalition for Improving Maternity Serviceshttp://www.motherfriendly.org/ or 10 Questions to Ask linkhttp://www.motherfriendly.org/Downloads/10Qs.pdf-The Association of Pre- and Perinatal Psychology and Healthhttp://www.birthpsychology.com/-Doula's of North America http://www.dona.org/- Alliance for Transforming the Lives of Childrenhttp://www.atlc.org/-Birthing the Future http://www.birthingthefuture.com/btf_index.html-Holistic Mom's Network http://www.holisticmoms.org/-Maternity Wise http://www.childbirthconnection.org/-Midwifery Today Magazine http://www.midwiferytoday.com/-Mothering Magazine http://www.mothering.com/-International Cesarean Awareness Network http://www.ican-online.org/-Lamaze International http://www.lamaze.org/Default.asp"A woman giving birth needs to be treated as the very special beingthat she is, for the future of humanity to be something better thanis has been. The seeds of violence, I believe, are sown right in

thedelivery room." —Dr. Christiane Northrup, obstetrician, from thevideo Giving Birth: Challenges & Choices "I am, and have been for years a confirmed anti-vaccinationist. I have not the least doubt in my mind that vaccination is a filthy process that is harmful in the end" - Mahatma Gandhi (Koren Publications Inc.)

Everyone is raving about the all-new Mail beta.

[Guest guest]

, Jagannath Chatterjee

<jagchat01 wrote:

>

> - Although the majority of pregnancies in the US are considered

> healthy, the presence of technology at birth is the norm.

> Interventions are experienced by most moms today.

>

> - The United States has an unregulated health care system which

> spends more on birth than any other country in the world!

>

> - The US Center for Disease Control reports an increase in cesareans

> up 8% in just one year, meaning that 1 in 3 women will give birth

via

> Cesarean.

 

The above situation is generally driven by two reasons. The

technology gives an excuse to go for C-section! Baby is big, head is

big, you may have to go through an episiotomy etc are standard

excuses for C-section. How useful and reliable is technology? ansers

are at:

 

http://www.emaxhealth.com/84/8371.html

 

And motherhood is no more godhood. mom does not wish to undergo the painful

birth. How else the birth can be in a hospital. See a celebrity's C-section

video at

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFGhm2OU13s.

 

She had surgical birth because in early labor she was told that her

womb would rupture because baby was so big. Baby was 6 lbs. Is a

good video to see the rough treatment of the mother's body and the

baby. This baby was also pulled out by forceps.

 

For sky rockettiong rate of C-sections mothers are also responsible. This will

be the topic of discussion in next post.