Pregnancy and Birth
in the News
Finding Support for a VBAC: At Home is More Common Now
Women who want a vaginal birth after a cesarean (VBAC) are having a hard time finding obstetricians who will support them, so many of them are staying home for the event. This article in the St. Pete Times explores the reasons why many OBs are refusing to do them, and the options that are left for expectant mothers with high hopes for a VBAC.
Fetuses and Pollution: A Risky Mix
Babies whose mothers were exposed to high levels of pollutants during their pregnancy have lower IQs, according to new research from the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health. Read more in this article from the Associated Press.
Rising Cesarean Birth Rates in Florida
The St. Pete Times has an article about the Cesarean birth rate here in Florida, which is the second highest in the country, behind New Jersey. The article explores whether Cesareans are becoming the norm or whether there is still time to change the birth culture.
Cesarean Births Involved in 70% of Maternal Deaths
The Poughkeepsie Journal (from upstate New York) reports on the rising Cesarean birth rate by exploring a newly-released report that finds that 70% of maternal deaths are in women who had a Cesarean birth. The article has information from a legislator, an organization that is trying to curb the rising rates, and from ACOG.
Insurance Companies and Hospitals:
Taking Action to Reduce Cesarean Births
The Cesarean birth rate in the United States has increased again, according to the Centers for Disease Control, with the latest figures putting the national average at 31.8%. Here in Florida, the statewide average is 37%, with some Tampa Bay hospitals at over 40%. Cesarean births, particularly those performed for no medical reasons, carry a range of risks for mothers and babies that, according to this Los Angeles Times article, insurance companies such as Wellcorp and United are now taking note of, as are dozens of hospitals that are taking measures to reduce the number of cesarean births at their hospitals. Please share this article with anyone who has an interest in reducing the cesarean birth rate.
Consumer Reports Advocates for Simpler, Less Medical Births
The well-known consumer magazine cites a new report that shows a growing rate of medical interventions in the United States, some of which can cause more harm than good. The article states that profit and liability, rather than optimal care, might be the driving forces behind the increase in interventions. Read this insightful article here, and pass it along to a friend.
Birth Center and Homebirth Midwives Busier than Ever
With so much attention being focused these days on home and birth center births, midwives in the New York Metro area are almost busier than they can handle. Documentaries such as "The Business of Being Born", which shined a national spotlight on what a hospital experience is like, are making midwives and birth centers more popular than ever. The New York Times has the full story.
Florida Gets an "F" When it Comes to Preterm Birth
The March of Dimes has just published a new state-by-state report about the rates of preterm birth, and most states, including Florida, received either a D or an F. Florida's pre-term birth rate is 13.8%. Find out from the March of Dimes what it is that's driving the rates upward.
Infant Death Rates Drop Slightly in U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control is reporting a slightly lower infant death rate for the year 2006, though the United States' infant death rate remains quite high compared with other industrialized nations. The New York Times outlines the whole story right here.
Local Pediatricians Support Separating MMR Vaccine...
Channel 10 News has a story about bay area pediatricians who support giving the Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccine (MMR) in individual shots, rather than the usual 3-in-1. Reporter Heather Van Nest reviews both sides of the story in this report and includes a list of dozens of pediatricians in the bay area who will delay or single-dose the MMR vaccine.
Members in the News...
Two Tampa Bay Birth Network members have been featured together in a full-page photo essay in the St. Pete Times. Happy Birth Way and Breath of Life Birth Center are the focus of the photos and story. Check it out right here. If you are a member and your business makes the news, send us an email to let us know.
Home Birth in the News...
Time Magazine has put the issue of home birth on its front cover. The article covers many aspects of the controversy surrounding ACOG's "Resolution 205," which denounces homebirth as an unsafe choice for mothers and babies. You can read the Time Magazine article right here.
The American Medical Association is now backing ACOG's "Resolution 205." It is unclear whether the legislation would actually make homebirth illegal. If this is a topic that you feel strongly about, NOW is the time to act. Please read this ABC News story for the details.
Should women have the right to have their baby at home? The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says "no." If the organization has its way, mothers like Melissa Taylor of Tampa, FL, won't have a choice in the future. This article in the St. Petersburg Times outlines the controversy.
Tampa Bay Birth Network in the News...
The Tampa Tribune has published a story about the Tampa Bay Birth Network. The article was originally to be published in their August 23rd edition, but has shown up online right here. Great publicity for the TBBN!
Breastfeeding in the News...
The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta reports that more than three-quarters of new mothers breastfeed their infants, the highest rate in the United States in more than two decades. For details, read the CDCs report or a summary on CNN.
Cesarean Birth in the News...
Women who have a cesarean birth may be denied health insurance by companies who consider it to be a pre-existing condition. With fewer physicians offering vaginal births after cesareans, it means a self-pay for subsequent cesarean birth, which costs an average of $16,000 in the state of Florida. Read the New York Times story of a Colorado woman who was denied coverage by a health insurance company.
Ninety-two percent of the premature births between 1996 and 2004 were delivered via Cesarean birth, according to a New York Times article. Some say that not all of those surgeries were medically necessary. Click here to read the full story.
Induction in the News...
Some obstetricians will recommend that their patient's labor be induced with pitocin, often because the baby is "overdue." There are some sound medical reasons to induce, but sometimes an induction can lead to problems of its own. This Fit Pregnancy article, written by an RN, outlines the pros and cons.
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