Support for Home Births
You covered Ricki Lake's controversial documentary about homebirths which instigated a growing battle between the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the American Medical Association (AMA), midwives, and patients ["Ricki Lake Fires Back in Debate on Home Birth," "On Women," usnews.com].
The conflict is about the perceived safety of home births and the use of Certified Professional Midwives (CPM) or "lay" midwives. Last month, the AMA issued a resolution asking for legislation against home births and against "lay" midwives. DONA International, the oldest and largest association of doulas in the world, represents the thousands of women who cherish their ability to choose where they give birth and with whom. We also question the evidence supporting the ACOG and the AMA's statements that "the safest setting for labor, delivery and the immediate post-partum period is in the hospital." The largest, most respected study of home births found that among 5,000 low-risk pregnancies, babies were delivered just as safely at home with a CPM as in a hospital. Because most doulas work with midwives and physicians in a hospital setting, DONA International has no financial interest in the outcome of such legislation called for by the AMA. Our interest is in the scientific evidence and in maintaining the conviction that pregnant women, just as all other patients, are intelligent enough to give informed consent.
Debbie Young
President
DONA International
Jasper, Ind.
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Reader Comments
Homebirth
I don't think that the choice of where or where not to give birth is up to the AMA. This should be totally up to the mother. It is so ridiculous to say that home birth is unsafe...how do you think we all got here in the first place...all of our ancestors gave birth at home, and, obviously the human race is still thriving. Lets not become a socialist country...let people keep their rights!
homebirth
After having two babies in hospitals in different states during my 20's, I decided to have my next two babies, that came in my 30's, at home with lay midwives. I am positive that my home births were the safest for me and my babies.
I worked for more than 15 years in hospitals and I can tell you the main reason the AMA is trying to stop homebirths -MONEY. Maternity care has become the "bread and butter" of hospitals. With the irrefutable statistics showing the USA's horribly high infant mortality rate, I think it is inexcusable for doctors to try to limit a woman's choice about where she wants to give birth and who she wants attending her!
Homebirth
We have more natal deaths in the USA than other industrial countries. Why is this? Birth is treated like one giant emergency where we need to micro manage every little thing. We cut, prodd and intervene when we don't have to thus really creating an emergency. People choose homebirth because they want to give birth in a stress free and supportive environment. For the AMA, birthing is more about money making. How many patients can we deliver a day instead of how can we help a mother, not a patient,enjoy the birth of her child.
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