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Homebirth Research and Resources
Background Information
Licensed
Midwives in Washington State
Fact sheet on licensed midwives' scope, education, legal history and current
status.
Advocacy
Tips
for Contacting the Print Media and Radio Talk Shows
Nice piece from MANA on how to interact effectively with the media
(particularly about the Pang study, but the guidelines are universal).
Tips
for Writing a Letter to the Editor
by Susan Hodges of Citizens for Midwifery
From
Calling to Courtroom
This publication, which aims to help midwives, especially direct entry midwives,
gain wisdom about the legal context in which they practice, was released on
May 5, 2004, International Day of the Midwife, as a gift to the midwifery
community. It is available on-line free of charge.
Safety
Kenneth C Johnson and Betty-Anne Daviss,
Outcomes of planned home
births with certified professional midwives: large prospective study in
North America, BMJ, Jun 2005;
330: 1416
This prospective study of more than
5,000 births in US and Canada concludes that "Planned
home birth for low risk women in North America using certified
professional midwives was associated with lower rates of medical
intervention but similar intrapartum and neonatal mortality to
that of low risk hospital births in the United States."
Factsheet from Citizens for Midwifery (PDF)
Press release from Citizens for Midwifery
CfM says ”Feel free to
adapt this news release for use in your state, by your state organizations,
etc. Adding some facts about CPMs in your state, efforts on legislation,
and a quote or two can be useful. Also, to avoid making a news release that
is too long, remember that additional facts and resources can be attached as
separate documents and pages.”
Need help refuting the August 2002 article
in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology by Pang et al that purportedly
demonstrates a higher neonatal mortality rate with homebirth? Look
below for resources.
Citizens for Midwifery fact sheet on the Pang et al study
One side
of this fact sheet bullets the main flaws of the study, and the other side
lists quotes from the study, noting that even the authors recognized some of
the weaknesses of their work. The fact sheet points out that this one study
in no way refutes the large amount of evidence showing that planned,
attended home birth (for low risk women) is safe.
More
Citizens for Midwifery fact sheets
Home Birth versus Hospital Birth: Questioning
the Quality of the Evidence on Safety
(not a hyperlink - available only in hard copy)
An article in the March 2003 issue of the journal BIRTH analyzes the Pang et
al study and concludes, "When the findings of a new study disagree with
copious evidence from high-quality trials, the study methodology and
interpretation must be examined closely….The study by Pang et al on home
birth clearly does not meet criteria for ‘best evidence.’ Why, then was it
published at all, and why was it publicized in such an inflammatory manner?"
("Home Birth versus Hospital Birth: Questioning the Quality of Evidence on
Safety", BIRTH 30:1 March 2003, 57-63)
Obstetricians Use Dubious Method In Attempt to Discredit Homebirth
February 11, 2003 press release by MANA, CfM, NARM, ICAN and several other
midwifery organizations in reaction to the Pang et al article and ACOG's
publicizing of it. Also includes the CfM fact sheet above and a CfM
bibliography of homebirth studies.
"The Assault on Normal Birth: The OB Disinformation Campaign"
by Henci Goer
In the Autumn 2002 issue of Midwifery Today, Henci Goer, author of The Thinking Woman's Guide to
a Better Birth, makes a well-supported argument that the American
College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has mounted an effective PR
campaign to do away with normal birth. The well-publicized Washington State
home birth study by Pang et al (see above for fact sheets) is just one
example of the way ACOG "spin doctors" subvert research and evidence. As Henci writes: "You can't begin to craft a strategy to fight back until you
know what you're up against."
Homebirth a Safe Option for Many Women
August 20, 2002 press release by the Midwives
Association of Washington State in reaction to the Pang et al article
For an annotated bibliography of articles
demonstrating the safety of midwifery care and out-of-hospital birth, visit
the Research/Advocacy
section of our web site. You can also order this information in
brochure format, Benefits of Midwifery and Doula Care. Copies
are 25 cents each and can be ordered from our
retail page.
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