15 May 2009HOME BIRTHS
A generation has grown up not knowing that the large obstetric hospitals developed because of unsatisfactory results in home deliveries of babies.
Confinements are normal and mother and baby do well in 70 per cent of cases with no complications so for the majority it really doesn’t matter where the mother has the baby.
But what of the others?
Good obstetric care has meant a great drop in the maternal mortality. In NSW, in 1936, the maternal mortality was 6.3 per thousand live births and in 1977 0.13 per thousand live births. Babies have also benefited from this care.
Criticism of obstetric intervention is now com-monNand doctors are believed to resort too quickly to induction of births and caesarian section.
The Medical Journal of Australia, in talking about recent research in this area, says “… even if labor does not progress in a normal manner and manipulative interference is required, the outlook for the baby is not prejudiced.
“With the advent of ante-natal care, availability of blood transfusion and increased use of caesarian section, women began to expect a live baby from each pregnancy. As is shown from this research, modern obstetrics is ensuring the baby is not only alive, but well. We must avoid turning back the clock half a century because someone thinks that darkness is beneficial or the home environment is best for mother and baby.”
*129/71/1*
Random Posts
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.