March of Dimes: 'Healthy babies are worth the wait'

TONS of great statistics in this one that confirm once again that our bodies know what they are doing when it comes to when to birth our babies.

"Although tests may show that the baby's lungs are well developed at, say, 37 weeks, research has demonstrated that the risk of newborn complications is still significantly higher than if delivery occurs two to three weeks later. In a study published last December of babies demonstrated to have mature lungs before birth, those delivered at 36-38 weeks had 2.5 times the number of complications compared with those delivered at 39-40 weeks. Problems more common among babies delivered earlier in gestation included respiratory distress, jaundice and low blood sugar."

'"Babies aren't fully developed until at least 39 weeks," Lackritz told a news briefing in New York convened by the March of Dimes. For example, a baby's brain at 35 weeks gestation weighs only two-thirds of what it will weigh at 39-40 weeks."

Ultrasound Diagnosis of Fetal Macrosomia (large baby) Found Inaccurate

"Ultrasound-estimated fetal weight "is not very accurate, and we have to counsel patients on that, when they come to ultrasounds and they are worried that they are going to have this [enormous] monstrosity of a baby," lead investigator Dr. Alese Wagner said in an interview. "You can tell them [that] most of the time, we are off."'

"The mode of delivery was cesarean section in 66% of the pregnancies, compared with just 29% of all pregnancies in Calgary during the same period. "So it’s [more than] double, the percentage who are getting C-sections, on what is [an inaccurate weight]," said Dr. Wagner."

Too Many Babies Are Delivered Too Early: Hospitals Should Just Say No Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2011/01/31/too-many-babies-are-delivered-

Pregnancy lasts 40 weeks for a reason. At 35 weeks, a baby's brain tips the scales at just two-thirds of what it will weigh by weeks 39 to 40.

Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2011/01/31/too-many-babies-are-delivered-too-early-hospitals-just-say-no/#ixzz1D0qCRFxZ

Written on October 18, 2010 at 10:14 pm by Birth Sense Evidence Under Fire: 10 Common Obstetric Procedures Not Supported By Science

"Following is a sampling of the current evidence regarding ten procedures commonly used in modern obstetrics despite a lack of evidence to support their use. Please note: many of these procedures are beneficial in specific situations. It is their routine use without medical indication that I am addressing."

Newborn Deliveries Are Scheduled Too Early, According to Hospital Watchdog Group

This is not to say that once a woman reaches 39 weeks gestation there are no longer any risks to "elective" delivery. I wholeheartedly believe that our bodies and babies know that they are doing and just as we put our trust in the natural process of labor and birth as being the safest for Mother and baby, so should we put our trust in the timing of labor to begin on it's own for the safety of Mom and baby.

"Every hospital should publicly report on their rate and actively prevent the practice, and every woman planning to give birth should demand the information,"

Hospital Rates of Early Scheduled Deliveries

"What’s going on at my hospital?
The Leapfrog Group, a non-profit organization that compares hospitals on national standards of safety and quality, asked hospitals to voluntarily report their rate of elective deliveries before 39 completed weeks of pregnancy. The hospital’s rate of elective deliveries is the percentage of non-medically indicated (without a medical reason) births between 37 and 39 weeks gestation, that were delivered by caesarean section or induction. Hospital rates of elective deliveries are listed below by state. Women should look at the rate of early elective early deliveries performed at hospital hospitals in their area and chose one that has a low rate"

What You Need to Know about Induction of Labor

Mom defies doctor, has baby her way

The Day 14 Myth

Very interesting information. Even the "best" tests are no match for a woman's awareness of her own body.

To read the full article, click on the title link above.

Eight Reasons Our C-section Rate Is Too High

Dr. Priver states that over his 36 years of practice, his c-section rate never exceeded 10%. He modestly describes himself as having “no extraordinary wisdom, skills or dexterity” but offers points that he believes, if taken into consideration by OBs, could successfully decrease the c-section rate.

Read the entire article by clicking on the title link above.

Munchausen’s Obstetrics

To read the full 5 page article click on the title above

Lots of good information and citations contained in this one.

"The huge dinosaur of American obstetrics is creating generation after generation of unconsciously traumatized and often subtly brain-damaged people, people whose lives are often subsequently burdened with criminal behavior, learning difficulties, ADHD, addiction, depression and other mental illnesses and symptoms of brain damage. These iatrogenic outcomes are entirely preventable, in fact in most cases can be avoided at less cost than the procedures which cause them. The question of whose interests are served by making birth needlessly difficult I'll leave to your imagination.

The American way of birth (unfortunately spreading worldwide) has now been linked to large increases in rates of mental ailments including depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse and dependencies by at least 2 large well controlled studies, which both studiously avoided the most obvious conclusion.
http://www.sciencenews.org/pages/sn_arc98/ 9_19_98/fob1.htm http://www.math.missouri.edu/~rich/ MGM/birthUSA2.txt

Post traumatic stress reactions have been noted in American infants returning to hospitals, again while neglecting the obvious possibility that they were remembering birth trauma.
http://www.math.missouri.edu/~rich/MGM/oldrefs/www.drkoop.com/newsdetail"/93/512690.html

I Was Pregnant For 10 Months

To read the full article click on the title above.

"As US midwife Gail Hart points out, the most-cited statistic about post-dates babies (that their risk of stillbirth "doubles after 42 weeks") comes from a 1958 study – a time when mortality rates were 10 times what they are now. Also, as Hart argues, induction is hardly risk-free: it carries higher rates of caesarean section, uterine rupture, foetal distress and maternal haemorrhage."

"As a midwife you know if a baby is truly post-mature by the state of the skin. It's drier and flakier. They look like someone who has been in the water too long." But according to one American study [cited by Gail Hart in Midwifery Today], more than 90% of supposedly "late" babies born at 43 weeks in fact show no signs of post-maturity."

"To most hospitals, Gaskin adds, a lack of symptoms – and the patient's history – is irrelevant: "This habit of making absolute rules that are applied to cases that used to be open to individual treatment has contributed to the dumbing down of maternity care."

This is true in the UK too. I couldn't understand why my doctor was not interested in all the heart monitoring (every two days after 42 weeks) – and all perfect – or in the ultrasound scan. Nor was there any interest in my birth history (two late babies and fast births, which I thought made me a poor candidate for induction). All that mattered were the statistics – from 1958."

The Pregnant Patient's Bill Of Rights

Click on the title above to read the full article.

"American parents are becoming increasingly aware that well-intentioned health professionals do not always have scientific data to support common American obstetrical practices, and that many of these practices are carried out primarily because they are part of medical and hospital tradition."

""In the last forty years many artificial practices have been introduced which have changed childbirth from a physiological event to a very complicated medical procedure in which all kinds of drugs are used and procedures carried out, sometimes unnecessarily, and many of them potentially damaging for the baby and even for the mother"."

"It is the obstetric patient and her baby, not the health professional, who must sustain any trauma or injury resulting from the use of a drug or obstetric procedure. The observation of the rights listed above will not only permit the obstetric patient to participate in the decisions involving her and her baby's health care, but will help to protect the health professional and the hospital against litigation arising from resentment or misunderstanding on the part of the mother"

In defence of the amniotic sac

"Artificial rupture of membranes (ARM) aka ‘breaking the waters’ is a common intervention during birth. However, an ARM should not be carried out without a good understanding of how the amniotic sac and fluid function in labour. Women need to be fully informed of the risks associated this intervention before agreeing to alter their labour in this way."

How To Stop Needless Induction of Labor

"(If you spontaneously go into labor at week 37 or 38 the risks to your baby are incredibly low, but being induced at week 37 or 38 increases the risks of interventions, including NICU stays, breathing problems and even surgical births.)"

"The most important thing is to realize that every week of pregnancy counts. Being born prior to spontaneous labor can carry risks, big and small. Your baby's brain undergoes a lot of changes in the last weeks of pregnancy, as does the development of lung tissue. You will also find that babies born after spontaneous labor have higher breastfeeding rates."

"So, if offered an induction, ask why. Use your BRAIN. What are the:

• Benefits
• Risks
• Alternatives
• Intuition (what's your gut say)
• Not now, or do nothing"

New Guidelines for Women With Prior Cesareans

"Many women who have had a cesarean section delivery -- and some who have had two C-sections -- can safely attempt to deliver vaginally, according to updated guidelines on vaginal birth after cesarean, or VBAC, issued by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists."

Avoiding the first c-section: 5 essential questions to ask your care provider ASAP!

Excerpt from the article:

"It is critical that we look at what can be done to decrease the primary c-section rate (the first cesarean for a woman), because once the first c-section is done, it becomes increasingly difficult for many women to find support for a subsequent vaginal birth."

Home Birth: “Brave” Has Nothing To Do With It

The writer of this article is very strongly supportive of the safety of home birth, as am I. However please do not let her enthusiasm offend you if you have had a hospital birth or are currently planning one. The biggest thing I want you to take note of is the scientific evidence that she cites in the body of the article.

Problems and Hazards of Induction of Labor

Tons of wonderful evidence based information on the risks of induction itself and the drugs used for the induction procedure.

NIH Panel: End Bans on Vaginal Birth After C-Section

NIH Panel: End Bans on Vaginal Birth After C-Section

Excerpt from the article;

"While rare, the complications can be severe and even fatal. However, panel member Carol J. Rowland Hogue, PhD, MPH, director of the women's and children's center at Emory University, noted that VBAC isn't the only risk for a pregnant woman.

"Pregnancy is something of a risky endeavor," Hogue said at a news conference. "Women do suffer complications and their babies do have problems. Fortunately these are rare -- but they occur irrespective of mode of delivery. The very rare experience of maternal death is higher for C-section regardless of whether it is primary or repeat. This is very important for providers to weigh."