More Dangerous to Give Birth in California than Kuwait or Bosnia

[Turquesa]

http://www.alternet.org/story/145524...ait_or_bosnia/

[miriam]

Thank you for posting that.

[Belle]

My midwife just forwarded me that article. I was coming here to post it too. You beat me to it.

[miriam]

I read the article, and it seems that none of the possible reasons given were those silly women who have their babies at home.

The blame appears to be placed on those fat, older, infertile women who are having babies in this high-tech age; it seems to me that the members of the public health board are pointing their fingers at the mothers.

[Belle]

Originally Posted by miriam

I read the article, and it seems that none of the possible reasons given were those silly women who have their babies at home.

The blame appears to be placed on those fat, older, infertile women who are having babies in this high-tech age; it seems to me that the members of the public health board are pointing their fingers at the mothers.

No, I think that they said clearly in the article that health of the mothers was less a factor than the rise in c-sections. I also liked that they weren't pointing the blame at those crazy homebirth moms who are homebirthing because it the "in" thing.

[smeisnotapirate]

I think it was a great article and intelligently outlined what was doing it - a rise in inductions, c-sections, and other interventions.

My MW just posted it on FB. It's truly scary.

[mamabadger]

Originally Posted by miriam

The blame appears to be placed on those fat, older, infertile women who are having babies in this high-tech age; it seems to me that the members of the public health board are pointing their fingers at the mothers.

Old fat women seem to be the popular scapegoat at the moment. Statistically, giving birth in the U.S. while black is much riskier than doing so while old and fat. I would love to see health professionals try to point the finger in that instance.

[smeisnotapirate]

Originally Posted by mamabadger

Old fat women seem to be the popular scapegoat at the moment. Statistically, giving birth in the U.S. while black is much riskier than doing so while old and fat. I would love to see health professionals try to point the finger in that instance.

While I agree totally, the article 100% specifically refuted the "old fat women" and "black women" scapegoats.

Just to keep that clear.

[*MamaJen*]

Yeah, I was reading it really carefully, and it was actually quite interesting and seemed to have its science straight. The data is still being compiled, but the initial results were that California is seeing some very serious increases in maternal mortality, though of course it is still very rare.
For more information, you can check out the state website on the initiative: http://www.cdph.ca.gov/data/statisti...ityReview.aspx
or the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative: http://www.cmqcc.org/
It's a really fascinating avenue of research and while I'm sort of astounded that it hasn't been done before, I'm glad they're doing it now.
What's really interesting (pardon me while I geek out on birth politics) is that in addition to mortality, they're also looking at different elements of maternal morbidity and also "near misses" in which the mother was at risk of death or has long-term adverse effects. That's something I keep on saying about a lot of obstetric practices -- that homebirth and hospital births are continually shown to have similar mortality rates, but that I bet maternal morbidity was higher in hospital births and that I wish that data was compiled.
They don't seem to have the culprit fully fingered, but they list a number of issues that raise a woman's risk level. Maternal age, higher-order pregnancy and racial disparities are listed, but they also discuss the risk of clinical practices like repeat C-sections.

[sbraz]

One of the women the article specifically addresses, Tatia Oden French, died after a Cytotec induction and amniotic embolism and emergency c/s. It´s interesting the article didn´t mention Cytotec, I remember seeing this in the movie Pregnant in America, her mother is now an activist.
http://www.tatia.org/

[MittensKittens]

Read the article. I am extremely pro-natural birth and a UC-er. I have nothing good to see about the "modern" birthing culture in the US today. Funny comparison to Bosnia and Kuweit though - I live in Serbia, right next to Bosnia and with the same birthing culture. Let me just point out that I am absolutely convinced that I'd have a better chance of having a natural birth in California than here. Giving birth in Serbia is like giving birth in American hospitals in the 1950s and riddled with routine interventions, which they think are absolutely necessary. The c-section rate is also on the rise.

No statistics could convince me that giving birth in California puts you at higher risk of death or other complications. It could, however, reinforce my information that the maternity care system is extremely corrupt in these parts of the world, and our Bosnian counterparts are better at "lying through statistics" . Because whatever bad you have to say about the care model in the US is amplified multiple times in these countries - believe me.

[emnic77]

Wow. Great article, but ACOG sounds like they're going to continue on with their heads in the sand, as usual.

[GoldmanBaby09]

Originally Posted by sbraz

One of the women the article specifically addresses, Tatia Oden French, died after a Cytotec induction and amniotic embolism and emergency c/s. It´s interesting the article didn´t mention Cytotec, I remember seeing this in the movie Pregnant in America, her mother is now an activist.
http://www.tatia.org/

Yes, I remember that from Pregnant in America as well. My heart broke for her mother and her family. This part about her story in the article made me very angry:

The subsequent lawsuit was dismissed: The doctor had not deviated from the standard of care.

That is so aggravating as it was the "standard of care" that lead to her death!

[Mrsboyko]

And now I am all riled up about the state of maternity care in the US (truly, the world) all over again. Good article, thanks.

I think I am going to pass this on to the OB practice at the hospital I work at. I have to do it annomously though as they would probably just throw it way if they know it is from me...

[miriam]

Originally Posted by sbraz

One of the women the article specifically addresses, Tatia Oden French, died after a Cytotec induction and amniotic embolism and emergency c/s. It´s interesting the article didn´t mention Cytotec, I remember seeing this in the movie Pregnant in America, her mother is now an activist.
http://www.tatia.org/

That poor woman!

Injudicious use of pitocin, cytotec and any other labor augmentive drugs are classic causes of amniotic embolisms.

This intervention is rarely mentioned along with this terrible, life-threatening side effect and is wildly underdiagnosed in this country.

That is so aggravating as it was the "standard of care" that lead to her death!

Which is why I urge healthy women in America who listen to me to have their babies at home. The standard of care can be low and unhealthy, and in this case, deadly.

[gcgirl]

My mom friends and I have been floating this around on our facebook pages. I'm glad someone's finally taking a REAL look at the dangers of overmanagement of birth. I almost died though when I read that one physician's statement about why the death rate has gone up - it's because they're counting deaths more accurately. Yeah, RIGHT! Talk about sticking your head in the sand.

[Kidzaplenty]

[ripley]

a doctor tried to talk me into cytotec by using it's formal name so i wouldn't know what he was talking about - can you believe it.

so my 2nd baby was UC - not 100% intentional but i did tell my primary that if this other ob was "on" when i went into labor i would go home and UC

the women of this country must take their health into their own hands by educating themselves and interviewing their doc's very carefully!

[MegBoz]

Originally Posted by GoldmanBaby09

That is so aggravating as it was the "standard of care" that lead to her death!

Dr. Marsden Wagner did a great job of discussing this in his great book "Born in the USA."
He told a story of how some OBs in a state with a relatively low population, Idaho maybe, defended an action by saying it was the "standard of care" in their area. In reality, they were the only 2 OBs in the area! So whatever they chose to do was "the standard of care" and therefore defensible. So just messed up!