A well presented article in the New York Times newspaper, on the rise of home-births, especially in New York City, due in part to Ricki Lake's documentary, The Business of Being Born (available on Netflix), which highlights very well both the realities of being born at home and the hospital. It's a must see, even for all you guys out there, you gotta see this stuff, you owe it to your woman, and yourself.
Also, along similar lines, research out of Sydney, Australia, from the Mother & Child Health Research (MCHR) of La Trobe University, states that inducing labor (or labour, if you're an Aussie) in uncomplicated pregnancies can be risky for both mom and baby. Having labor induced (artificially speeding up uterine contractions w/ the use of drugs) leads to the following risks...
The risk of haemorrhage following induced labour was increased by 17 percent, of an instrumental delivery by 20-70 percent, of nursery care for the infant by 24 percent and active resuscitation by 15-100 percent, depending on the method of induction, said a La Trobe release.
The risk of a caesarean was between two and four times more likely after induction.
...and the researcher "believes that many of the labours were induced for reasons of convenience rather than for any medical indications..."
Our mothers and babies are worth more than what is typically offered to them in the current medicalized system of childbirth. We need to learn, to study, and to demand and choose something better for them.
Peace. -nW
No comments:
Post a Comment