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Wednesday, March 31, 2010

April Ambassadorial Support Call: Getting Maternity Care Providers on Board

CIMS GAC Ambassadors

High Impact Birth Activists....Together Making Mother-Friendly Care a Reality

A message to all members of CIMS GAC Ambassadors

With the increasing consumer demand for transparency, there is also a widespread belief that sites like The Birth Survey contain unfair assessments that the public may take out of context. Yet on the contrary, The Birth Survey can work for the benefit of those on the maternity care front lines! Moreover, health care professionals can open many doors to promoting The Birth Survey and supporting transparency.

Join us for our monthly conference call as Jenne Alderks presents on how to partner with maternity care providers in getting the word out about The Birth Survey. Also, whether you’re gathering data or promoting The Birth Survey, project leadership will also be on hand to hear your updates and address any questions or concerns.

April Ambassador Support Call
Date: Tuesday, April 6, 2009, Time: 9:00-10:00PM Eastern

Conference Dial-in Number: (218) 339-4600
Participant Access Code: 408936#

Visit CIMS GAC Ambassadors at: http://grassrootsgrapevine.ning.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network

Midwifery Today E-News “Amish Birth”

In This Week’s Issue:

 

Read more: http://www.midwiferytoday.com/enews/enews1207.asp

There are Too Many Preventable Deaths among New Moms

Posted by Dr. Mercola

Why are So Many New Moms Dying?

There are likely a number of contributing factors, but one glaring contributor is most certainly the excessive number of cesarean childbirths.

A woman’s risk of death during delivery is three to five times higher during cesarean than a natural delivery, her risk of hysterectomy four times higher, and her risk of being admitted to intensive care is two times higher.

There are other risks that come with this major surgery as well, including:

  • Infection to various organs including the uterus, bladder or kidneys
  • Increased blood loss
  • Increased risk of complications in future pregnancies
  • Decreased bowel function
  • Respiratory complications
  • Longer hospital stay and recovery time
  • Adverse reactions to anesthesia
  • Risk of additional surgeries such as hysterectomy or bladder repair

Despite the steep risks, cesarean section is actually the most common operation performed in the United States, and accounts for a whopping 31 percent of births.

This is a rate that even The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists admits is worrisome. It’s also the highest rate ever reported in the United States, and a rate higher than in most other developed countries.

For comparison, according to the World Health Organization, no country is justified in having a cesarean rate greater than 10 percent to 15 percent!

If the cesarean rate were to go down, it’s virtually guaranteed that the maternal death rate would follow…

Read more: http://www.foodconsumer.org/newsite/Non-food/Miscellaneous/many_preventable_deaths_among_new_moms_3003100728.html

The Difference between Depression and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder

The Difference between Depression and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder

By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on March 31, 2010

A new study addresses premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a severe mood disorder which affects five to seven percent of all women of reproductive age in the United States.

Unfortunately, the disorder is often misdiagnosed as major depression or other mood disorders.

In the study, PMDD is determined to be a biologically different form of premenstrual syndrome. Women with PMDD who have experienced depression may make up a subset.

The findings are important because they give physicians more reason to search for a more specific diagnosis and could possibly lead to more precise treatments. There currently are few good choices, said Susan Girdler, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine. Girdler led the study…

Read more: http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/03/31/the-difference-between-depression-and-premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder/12485.html

New Health Bill Helps Postpartum Depression (PPD)

New Health Bill Helps Postpartum Depression (PPD)

By John M Grohol PsyD

The historic passage of the federal health care legislation last week included a provision for a new national postpartum depression (PPD) program. It leaves out the federal screening program so feared by the bill’s opponents, but it includes more money for greater education outreach and more research into this condition. The Melanie Blocker Stokes Mother’s Act passed in watered down form…

Read more: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2010/03/29/new-health-bill-helps-postpartum-depression-ppd/

Massage may help lift depression

Reuters Health
Tuesday, March 30, 2010

A woman receives a massage treatment in a beauty salon in Jakarta January 21, 2009. REUTERS/Beawiharta

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Massage therapy may help relieve symptoms of depression, a new review of the medical literature hints.

The authors of the review, however, acknowledge difficulties with research on the effects of massage, including the fact that it's impossible to "blind" study participants or care providers to whether a person is receiving massage or a comparison treatment.

Nevertheless, they say there is "good evidence to suggest that massage therapy is an effective treatment of depression."

Depression is a huge public health problem, and treatment is often inadequate, Dr. Wen-Hsuan Hou of I-Shou University in Kaohsiung, Taiwan and colleagues note in their report.

While massage can ease stress and tension and may have emotional benefits, the use of massage therapy in depressed patients is "controversial," the investigators note, and "there is no qualitative review of the treatment effect of massage therapy in depressed patients."

To investigate further, they searched for randomized controlled trials of massage therapy in depressed patients. They identified 17 studies including 786 people in all. In 13 of the trials, massage therapy was compared to another active treatment such as Chinese herbs, relaxation exercises, or rest, while four compared massage to a "no treatment" control group. Investigators also used a range of methods for evaluating mood and depression in study participants.

Overall, the studies, which were of "moderate" quality, showed that massage therapy had "potentially significant effects" in alleviating symptoms of depression, the researchers report in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

It's not clear from the analysis, they emphasize, whether a person would need to undergo regular massage therapy for benefits to persist.

There are a number of ways through which massage could help people with depression, the researchers note, for example, by reducing stress and inducing relaxation; building an "alliance" between the therapist and patient; and by causing the body to release the "trust hormone" oxytocin.

"Further well-designed and longer follow-up studies, including accurate outcome measures, are needed," they conclude.

SOURCE: Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, online March 23, 2010.

Reuters Health

Related News:

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Washington State Bans Shackling of Incarcerated Women in Labor and Post-Delivery

March 29, 2010

Washington State Bans Shackling of Incarcerated Women in Labor and Post-Delivery

Posted by Rachel

Washington state Gov. Chris Gregoire last week signed into law a bill [PDF] that forbids the routine shackling of pregnant women in and after labor, making it one of a handful of states that ban the practice.

The law, which takes effect June 10, states that no restraints of any kind may be used on a pregnant woman during transporation to and from medical visits or court proceedings during the third trimester of pregnancy or during postpartum recovery. It also stipulates that “no restraints of any kinds may be used” during labor or childbirth…

Read more: http://www.ourbodiesourblog.org/blog/2010/03/washington-state-bans-shackling-of-incarcerated-women-in-labor-and-post-delivery

Interpreting Health: Cultural Barriers at New York City Hospitals

by Sarah Kate Kramer

On Christmas Eve, a 31-year-old woman from Yemen, wearing a traditional black robe decorated with red embroidery, walked into Attieh’s office for help with a Medicaid application. Halima (who did not want to use her real name because she didn’t want her community to know about her struggles), has eight children. The first five were born in her village in Yemen, where it’s traditional for women to give birth in their homes while kneeling on a special mat placed on the ground.

“My father’s father, he cut the umbilical cord and cleaned everything, he took care of everything,” Halima tells Attieh, in Arabic.

But when giving birth to her first American-born child at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, Halima found herself lying immobile on her back, hooked up to an IV, feeling helpless and exposed. She wanted to be in her customary position, on her knees. So she asked the nurses, but they refused. “This is our business, not yours,” Halima remembers them telling her.

Not knowing hospital rules or her rights as a patient, Halima found childbirth in Brooklyn frightening and traumatic…

Read more: http://www.wnyc.org/news/articles/152614

Friday, March 19, 2010

Postpartum depression

What is postpartum depression?

Postpartum depression is an illness that you can get after having a baby. It's just like depression, which you can get at other times. But it comes at a time when you are expected to feel happy. If you get postpartum depression, you may find it hard to enjoy being with your baby and find it difficult to care for him or her.

Postpartum depression nearly always gets better on its own. But if the depression goes on for a long time, you may not bond properly with your baby. And your baby may not develop as well as he or she should. There are treatments that may help you feel better faster. So, it's important to see your doctor and get treatment early.

Key points for women with postpartum depression

  • It's normal to feel low, irritable or anxious for a few days after your baby is born. But if these feelings don't go away or they get worse, you may have postpartum depression.
  • Postpartum depression is common. About 10 to 15 in every 100 new mothers get it.
  • Postpartum depression is an illness. It is not a sign that you don't love your baby or can't look after him or her properly.
  • There are lots of treatments that may help.
  • It's important to see your doctor early on. The sooner you get help, the sooner you are likely to feel better and start enjoying being a mother.
  • If you have strange thoughts and feelings about your baby, or hear or see things that aren't real, you may have a more serious illness called postpartum psychosis. You will need to be looked after in the hospital.

What's normal after having a baby?

To understand what goes wrong in postpartum depression, it helps to know a little about what feelings are normal after you have a baby…

Read  more: http://consumerreports.org/health/conditions-and-treatments/postpartum-depression/what-is-it.htm

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Overcoming the Fear of Labor

Susan Schade

Susan Schade

On the final day of my birthing class, I felt helpless as I stood in the hallway having a panic attack. It was shortly after seeing a graphic birth video that I began having a physical reaction to the fear that I was experiencing.

I was not naïve. I knew how babies were born but at that moment, I was overcome by anxiety. After darting out of class, I made my way to the end of the hall. I had one hand on the wall and the other on my belly as I concentrated on controlling my breathing. The back of my neck was damp with sweat. I closed my eyes and imagined the air entering and leaving my body at a slow pace through my nose and mouth. I finally managed to pull myself together and join my husband again in the classroom…

Read more: http://www.empowher.com/news/herarticle/2010/03/17/overcoming-fear-labor?extsrc=coi-digest

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Amnesty International Issues Alert to Stop Pregnancy-Related Deaths

Anna Portela

Anna Portela

On March 4, Amnesty International issued an alert to prevent world wide deaths due to pregnancy. The human rights organization said that across the globe, women are dying of these deaths at the rate of one per minute.
Amnesty is urging people to meet with their Senators and Representatives in their local districts to try to stop these deaths.

The Amnesty alert went on to say that it is, “appalling how many women are dying in the United States from complications due to pregnancy and childbirth.” According to Amnesty about half of these deaths can be prevented. Many of these deaths are because women do not have access to good health care or maternal care. About 13 million women between the ages of 15 and 44 have no insurance at all. Several of these women start their pregnancy with untreated conditions that only get worse with pregnancy. African-American women are almost four times more likely to die of pregnancy complications than white women. (I have written about this in other articles for this website.) If the pregnancies are high-risk, African-American are five and a half times more likely to die than white women…

Read more: http://www.empowher.com/news/herarticle/2010/03/11/amnesty-international-issues-alert-stop-pregnancy-related-deaths?extsrc=coi-digest

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Vaginal Birth After Cesarean: New Insights

Vaginal Birth After Cesarean

March 2010

View or download Summary/Report


Structured Abstract

Objectives: To synthesize the published literature on vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). Specifically, to review the trends and incidence of VBAC, maternal benefits and harms, infant benefits and harms, relevant factors influencing each, and the directions for future research.

Data Sources: Relevant studies were identified from multiple searches of MEDLINE®; DARE; the Cochrane databases (1966 to September 2009); and from recent systematic reviews, reference lists, reviews, editorials, Web sites, and experts.

Review Methods: Specific inclusion and exclusion criteria were developed to determine study eligibility. The target population includes healthy women of reproductive age, with a singleton gestation, in the U.S. with a prior cesarean who are eligible for a trial of labor (TOL) or elective repeat cesarean delivery (ERCD). All eligible studies were quality rated and data were extracted from good or fair quality studies, entered into tables, summarized descriptively and, when appropriate, pooled for analysis. The primary focus of the report was term pregnancies. However, due to a small number of studies on term pregnancies, general population studies including all gestational ages (GA) were included in appropriate areas.

Results: We identified 3,134 citations and reviewed 963 papers for inclusion, of which 203 papers met inclusion and were quality rated. Studies of maternal and infant outcomes reported data based upon actual rather than intended router of delivery. The range for TOL and VBAC rates was large (28-82 percent and 49-87 percent, respectively) with the highest rates being reported in studies outside of the U.S. Predictors of women having a TOL were having a prior vaginal delivery and settings of higher-level care (e.g., tertiary care centers). TOL rates in U.S. studies declined in studies initiated after 1996 from 63 to 47 percent, but the VBAC rate remained unimproved. Hispanic and African American women were less likely than their white counterparts to have a vaginal delivery. Overall rates of maternal harms were low for both TOL and ERCD.

While rare for both TOL and ERCD, maternal mortality was significantly increased for ERCD at 13.4 per 100,000 versus 3.8 per 100,000 for TOL. The rates of maternal hysterectomy, hemorrhage, and transfusions did not differ significantly between TOL and ERCD. The rate of uterine rupture for all women with prior cesarean is 300 per 1,000 and the risk was significantly increased with TOL (47/1,000 versus 3/1,000 ERCD). Six percent of uterine ruptures were associated with perinatal death. No models have been able to accurately predict women who are more likely to deliver by VBAC or to rupture.

Women with a prior cesarean delivery had a statistically significant increased risk of placenta previa compared with women with no prior cesarean, at a rate of 12 per 1,000 and risk increasing with the number of cesareans. Compared with previa patients without a prior cesarean delivery, women with one prior cesarean and previa had a statistically significant increased risk of blood transfusion (15 versus 32.2 percent), hysterectomy (0.7 to 4 percent versus 10 percent), and composite maternal morbidity (15 versus 23-30 percent). Perinatal mortality was significantly increased for TOL at 1.3 per 1,000 versus 0.5 per 1,000 for ERCD. Insufficient data were found on nonmedical factors such as medical liability, economics, hospital staffing, structure and setting, which all appear to be important drivers for VBAC.

Conclusions: Each year 1.5 million childbearing women have cesarean deliveries, and this population continues to increase. This report adds stronger evidence that VBAC is a reasonable and safe choice for the majority of women with prior cesarean. Moreover, there is emerging evidence of serious harms relating to multiple cesareans. Relatively unexamined contextual factors such as medical liability, economics, hospital structure, and staffing may need to be addressed to prioritize VBAC services. There is still no evidence to inform patients, clinicians, or policymakers about the outcomes of intended route of delivery because the evidence is based largely on the actual route of delivery. This inception cohort is the equivalent of intention to treat for randomized controlled trials and this gap in information is critical. A list of future research considerations as prioritized by national experts is also highlighted in this report.


Download Report

Vaginal Birth After Cesarean: New Insights

2010 Moms’ Run Offers Family Fun & Support for a Good Cause

On Saturday, May 8, 2010, it’s all about Mom and the people who love her. The Ruth Rhoden Craven Foundation will host the 2010 Moms’ Run, which will start and end at Blackbaud Stadium on Daniel Island. The 5K walk/run will begin at 8:30 a.m.

Participants are invited to stick around for post-race festivities: food from Daniel Island Grille and Brewer’s Bristro, live entertainment by Frank Royster and family-friendly vendors. The event is also sponsored by the Center for Women, Lowcountry Parent and The Mom Spa.

It’s $25 to register; $10 for children 12 and under. Strollers welcome! Visit www.ppdsupport.org for more information.

Long before Brooke Shields wrote a book about it and Tom Cruise sparred with Matt Lauer about it, Ruth Craven suffered from postpartum depression. On December 5, 1999, Ruth took her own life, just two-and-a-half months after the birth of her first child. She was 33 years old. Before PPD, friends and family say Ruth was a happy, positive and stable person. After giving birth, the sudden shift in Ruth’s mood took everyone by surprise.

Her mother, Helena Bradford, believes if Ruth had received proper treatment, she would be alive today. "Before Ruth was stricken with postpartum depression, I had never even heard of it. I want women and their families to be more prepared and informed than we were, so they won’t have to go through what we did," Bradford says.

In 2000, Bradford started the Ruth Rhoden Craven Foundation for PPD awareness. For the past 10 years, the non-profit organization has provided support groups for women and their families and has served as a resource to the medical community. Bradford wants the community to know that PPD is temporary and treatable, if properly diagnosed.

Risa Mason-Cohen, PsyD, licensed clinical psychologist and Executive Director of the Ruth Rhoden Craven Foundation says, "The 2010 Moms’ Run is dedicated to the proper screening, diagnosis and treatment of postpartum depression. There is a universal pulse that beats inside every woman’s soul; women across the globe can relate to the sense of imbalance, fatigue and other physical/emotional transformations that go hand in hand with early motherhood. This event is for all of the mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, sisters, brothers, girlfriends and husbands out there who have felt the sting of this illness. For the rest of the population, the Moms’ Run is a perfect opportunity to enjoy some family friendly fun while supporting a very worthy cause."

To register for the 2010 Moms’ Run, or to make a donation, visit www.ppdsupport.org. To schedule interviews, members of the media may call race coordinator Angie Mizzell at 843.452.0931.

Regina-produced documentary examines postpartum depression

By PAMELA ROTH, Leader-Post

…In order to increase awareness and provide assistance for those suffering with postpartum illnesses, Paterson, along with friends Carla O'Reilly and Tanis Bird, decided to document their own life experiences into the book, The Smiling Mask.

The book has now been turned into a 40-minute documentary by local filmmaker Dianne Ouellette. A showing of the film will take place at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum March 11.

When Ouellette was approached by the three women about making the documentary, she immediately felt connected to the idea since her sister and stepfather have both battled mental illness.

"It hit home when I read it. I feel for people who fight depression and bipolar or whatever it may be," she said.

It's been nearly four years since Paterson began her battle with postpartum depression, and now she is feeling like a new woman.

She's finally becoming the person she was meant to be — happy and confident, and wants other women who are going through postpartum depression to know they are not alone.

"This affects the entire family," she said. "We want to bring it out into the open so people feel comfortable enough to speak about it and share what they are going through."

The film begins at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. For tickets, visit www.thesmilingmask.com.

proth@leaderpost.canwest.com

Read more: http://www.leaderpost.com/health/Regina+documentary+examines+postpartum+depression/2663112/story.html

Childbirth Connection eNews :: March 2010

childbirth connection newsletter

March 10, 2010

Hello, Friend.

Research You Can Use
March systematic review: Does cesarean delivery protect the pelvic floor?

Nelson RL, Furner SE, Westercamp M, Farquhar C. Cesarean delivery for the prevention of anal incontinence. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2010, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD006756. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006756.pub2.

Some women experience leakage of stool or gas while their perineum is healing in the postpartum period, and for some women this problem can become chronic. With age, the number of people with anal incontinence rises, and an estimated 1.4% to 11% of adults and over 50% of nursing home residents have this problem. Cesarean delivery has been proposed as a way to protect the integrity of the pelvic floor and avoid incontinence. A new systematic review explores whether cesarean section is associated with lower rates of anal incontinence than vaginal birth.

This review includes 21 observational studies that compared the odds of anal incontinence following 6,028 cesarean births with the odds of the problem following 25,170 vaginal births. No randomized controlled trials on the subject were found. The quality of the studies was assessed, and because observational studies are subject to more bias than randomized controlled trials, the authors included in their quality assessment whether the studies were prospectively designed, adjusted for maternal age, parity and delivery history, and whether incontinence was measured after 4 months postpartum when the perineum had time to heal. The studies of highest quality were also analyzed separately to see if the results differed from those of lower quality studies. No high quality studies showed any significant difference in incontinence of stool and none of the studies showed any difference in leakage of gas between women undergoing cesarean delivery and those giving birth vaginally.

The take-away: This review shows no evidence that cesarean delivery protects a woman from future anal incontinence compared to vaginal birth. US cesarean rates have increased by 50% in the last decade and are currently at a record high of 31.8% as of 2007. Some have suggested that "maternal demand" cesarean section is contributing significantly to the rising rate of c-section, a practice associated with numerous increased risks when compared to vaginal birth. The authors of this review cite research that suggests avoiding incontinence is the main reason women with no medical indication for c-section elect to have their babies this way. Both of these suggestions are controversial. Just one mother out of 252 in the Listening to Mothers II survey reported that she had a first cesarean birth at her own request with no medical reason, and only one woman reported a cesarean delivery in the belief that it would help prevent future incontinence.

Seeking Participants for NIH-Sponsored Study: Women Carrying a Baby with Spina Bifida
The Management of Myelomeningocele Study (MOMS), a randomized, controlled clinical trial, seeks to enroll pregnant women. The trial, funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), is designed to compare the safety and efficacy of prenatal versus postnatal closure of myelomeningocele. For the duration of the study, prenatal surgery for spina bifida is not available outside of the trial.

Interested women will have their medical records reviewed for inclusion and exclusion criteria. Those who qualify are then referred to a MOMS Center for further screening. Once enrolled, they are randomly assigned to the prenatal or postnatal surgery group of the trial. Participating MOMS Centers: The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, and the University of California at San Francisco.

Participants in the prenatal group undergo surgery to repair the myelomeningocele between the 19th and 25th week of pregnancy and remain at the MOMS Center until cesarean delivery at 37 weeks. Those assigned to postnatal surgery go home after randomization and return to the MOMS Center at 37 weeks for cesarean delivery and myelomeningocele repair. Follow-up evaluations are performed at the center on all infants at 12 and 30 months of age. Travel, food and lodging costs are covered by the research study.

For more information, visit www.SpinaBifidaMoms.com or contact Jessica Ratay, MS, CGC, at 1-866-ASK MOMS or MOMS@biostat.bsc.gwu.edu.

eNews Spotlight
Focusing only on the facts and figures behind the U.S. maternity care system is not as powerful as looking at the human side of the story. We developed an allegorical portrait of the pregnancy and birth experiences of two different women. Read their stories and learn how maternity care is often experienced versus how wonderful it could be at "Two Birth Stories: An Allegory to Compare Experiences in Current and Envisioned Maternity Care Systems."

Last, if you haven’t already done so, have a look at our latest reports – "2020 Vision for a High-Quality, High-Value Maternity Care System" and "Blueprint for Action." They reveal how our maternity care system could function optimally.

Best Wishes,

maureen_corry signature.JPG
Maureen Corry
Executive Director
Childbirth Connection

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Hoped-for drop in childbirth deaths not happening

By LAURAN NEERGAARD (AP) – 1 day ago

WASHINGTON — Eleven days after her son Benjamin's birth by C-section, Linda Coale awoke in the middle of the night in pain, one leg badly swollen. Just as her doctor returned her phone call asking what to do, she dropped dead from a blood clot.

Pregnancy-related deaths like Coale's appear to have risen nationwide over the past decade, nearly tripling in the state with the most careful count — California. And while they're very rare — about 550 a year out of 4 million births nationally — they're nowhere near as rare as they should be. The maternal mortality rate is four times higher than a goal the federal government set for this year.

"It's unacceptable," says Dr. Mark Chassin of The Joint Commission, the agency that accredits U.S. hospitals and which recently issued an alert to hospitals to take steps to protect mothers-to-be. "Maybe as many as half of these are preventable."

Two years after Coale's death near Annapolis, Md., her sister says topping that list should be warning women about signs of an emergency, like the clot called deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, that can kill if it breaks out of the leg and moves to the lung.

"All she wanted to do was have her own family, and when she finally gets that privilege, she's no longer with us," says Clare Johnson, who says her sister's only risk was being pregnant at age 35.

Maternal mortality gets little public attention in the U.S., aside from last year's worry over the swine flu that killed at least 28 pregnant women. Among the leading preventable causes are hemorrhage, DVT-caused pulmonary emboli and uncontrolled blood pressure.

It's not clear what's fueling the overall increase, although better counting is playing some role. But there are some suspects: A jump in cesarean deliveries that now account for almost a third of births. One in five pregnant women is obese, spurring high blood pressure and diabetes. More women are having babies in their late 30s and beyond.

"It can be a death here, a death there," says Dr. Elliott Main of the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative, whose research is helping to uncover the rise. "Any one doctor or any one hospital hasn't really seen this change."

When he shows the statistics at medical meetings, "everybody sits up."

More startling, black women are at least three times more likely to die from pregnancy complications than white women, and research is too limited to tell why.

Blogger Labels: Pregnancy,death,emergency,Maternal mortality,babies,California Maternity Quality Care Collaborative,deaths,complications,women

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jwZgi4zm2OU3Dc9oWJSkknNMoiQwD9EAM7H80

Bringing Back VBAC: Good for Women and Babies?

Lamaze International urges that most mothers with a previous cesarean section should be offered the opportunity to have a VBAC.

[USPRwire, Mon Mar 08 2010] Next week’s National Institutes of Health meeting on vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) will explore one of the biggest controversies in childbirth. Is VBAC a reasonably safe birthing option for women and their babies?
A growing number of women are counseled by their health care providers that VBAC is too risky – citing a fear of uterine rupture, a rare, but potentially dangerous complication – and told that a repeat cesarean carries little threat of harm. As a result, the VBAC rate in the United States has plummeted.
In the late 1980’s and mid-1990’s VBAC rates steadily increased, hitting a high of 28 percent in 1996. However, a decade later, fewer than 1 in 10 women delivered by VBAC (8.5 percent). Experts attribute the shift to several malpractice lawsuits, which influenced practice behaviors by obstetricians.
One of the key issues for the experts convening at the NIH next week is whether current VBAC practices are driven by research and data.
“There’s medical evidence that shows that most mothers with a previous cesarean section should be offered the opportunity to have a VBAC,” said Debra Bingham, president-elect of Lamaze. “Yes, there are risks with a VBAC, but there are also dangers to both mothers and infants associated with a repeat cesarean, and particularly multiple repeat cesareans. Once you have that first cesarean, your risks during any type of subsequent delivery go up. We should also work to reduce unnecessary cesarean sections.”
• A just-released study shows that the newborn death rate in low-risk women is lower for those born by VBAC than those born by repeat cesarean
• Two studies, one done in 2008 and another in 2006, show that women who undergo repeat VBACs suffer fewer complications than women who undergo repeat cesareans, and babies fare increasingly better with each subsequent VBAC delivery
• A study from February 2010 challenged the conventional wisdom that women with multiple prior cesareans should not be allowed to attempt VBAC, and showed that VBAC outcomes for mothers with three or more prior cesareans are as good as outcomes for women who only had one prior cesarean
Cumulatively, these and other studies demonstrate that while VBAC carries risk, for most women it is likely the healthier choice for herself and her baby. The potential for problems in both mother and baby decrease with every VBAC and increase with every cesarean…

Blogger Labels: VBAC,Women,Babies,Lamaze International,National Institutes of Health,complication,malpractice,newborn,death,controversies,lawsuits,infants,complications,cesarean,cesareans

Read more: http://www.usprwire.com/Detailed/Health_Wellbeing/Bringing_Back_VBAC_Good_for_Women_and_Babies__83199.shtml

Elective C-sections reach epidemic levels around the globe

Recent data sheds light on elective C-section debate

By Cassie PierceySDNN

When Jennifer Rose envisioned giving birth to her now nine-month-old son, Carter Jackson Rose, she never expected she would be wheeled into the operating room for an emergency cesarean section after nearly eight hours of labor and her son’s life at risk.

“His heart rate kept dropping with every contraction and the nurses worried that he wasn’t getting enough oxygen,” said the 35-year-old Solana Beach resident, who later learned that her umbilical cord was wrapped around her son’s neck. “Once I heard that my baby’s life was in danger, I didn’t care what happened next.”

Rose originally planned to have a vaginal birth, but nature threw her a curveball – and a painful one at that. Rose said her C-section left her with terrible bruising and more than six weeks of recovery, which, she said, was longer than it took her to recuperate from kidney surgery in 2004.

Although Rose wasn’t prepared for her C-section – a surgery she would not have elected to do – a growing number of women around the world are choosing to have C-sections at what health officials have called “epidemic” levels.

Elective C-sections on the rise

A boom in elective C-sections is putting women’s health at risk, said World Health Organization officials in an ongoing international survey recently published in the medical journal The Lancet.

The survey revealed that C-sections have reached “epidemic proportions” in many countries across the globe. The most dramatic numbers come out of China, where 46 percent of births were by cesarean section in which a quarter of them were not medically necessary. The report goes on to say that women who underwent elective C-sections were more likely to be admitted into intensive care or encounter complications that required a blood transfusion or possibly a hysterectomy.

In the United States, one in three babies is delivered by C-section, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Of the more than 4.3 million babies born in the U.S. each year, 31.8 percent of them were delivered by C-section in 2007, a record high according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This news may compel expectant mothers to evaluate the risks of an elective (or non-emergency) C-section, which health officials consider an unnecessary surgery.

Blogger Labels: Elective C-sections,emergency cesarean section,recovery,surgery,World Health Organization,Lancet,babies,National Center for Health Statistics,Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,complications,cesarean,women

Read more: http://www.sdnn.com/sandiego/2010-03-08/lifestyle/elective-c-sections-reach-epidemic-levels-around-the-globe#ixzz0hjYBLif8

Woman Faces Murder Charge for Refusing C-Section

Unfriggin believable!!!

By Ernest A. Canning on 3/8/2010 1:16PM 

Woman Faces Murder Charge for Refusing C-Section

Spate of Anti-Choice Laws Put Pregnant Women in Legal Jeopardy...

Guest blogged by Ernest A. Canning

The March 3, 2010 segment of Democracy Now is so shocking that it is best seen. In Utah, lawmakers have approved a measure that could potentially expose a pregnant woman to murder charges if she is stuck in an abusive relationship, is beaten and miscarries. When one of two twins is a still birth, the mother is charged with murder because she refused a C-section. In Iowa, a woman is arrested when she miscarries after a fall down the stairs.

All this amongst efforts by the health insurance cartel to treat spousal abuse as a pre-existing condition.

Perhaps we should post signs: Warning: Pregnancy will place you in legal jeopardy.

* * *

The 01/04/10 Democracy Now! segment, Utah Abortion Bill Could Punish Women for Miscarriages, Domestic Violence follows below...

Reduced Fees for Perinatal Loss Workshops

Due to the difficult financial times we are all facing today, reductions off
the regular registration fee are being offered to all of those interested in
attending a workshop and need financial consideration. For information,
please contact Miriam: miriam@miriammaslin.com

Supporting Women through Perinatal Loss


A Workshop for Childbirth Professionals
Facilitated by Miriam Maslin
Sponsored by WholeCare Chiropractic
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
9:00 am - 3:00 pm
4434 Carver Woods Drive, Cincinnati, OH


All of us have experienced loss within our own lives - illness,
relationships, disappointments, shattered dreams, deaths - as well as with
our clients- unexpected outcomes...shattered dreams. These are the dark
places that few of us wish to visit, and yet, once we discover our inner
wisdom and strength, we can help to bring light and healing to our clients,
the people we love, ourselves, and the universe.
Miriam has been a presenter at both DONA and Birthworks
International Conferences and has been hosted in close to 50 US and Canadian
cities.  A list of all the workshops which she will be presenting on her
Spring 2010 Tour can be found below.
   $125 Registration Fee (75% will be refunded for absence due to a birth)
   Participation limited to 15 ~ Registration Deadline: March 11, 2010
   5 DONA CEU's, 5 CAPPA CEU's, .5 MEAC CEU's (5 contact hours)
   For information and registration: Miriam Maslin
   E-Mail: miriam@miriammaslin.com ~ Tel: 516-478-9657
   For directions: Ro Poggioli
   E-Mail:  lovelivenlaugh@hotmail.com  ~ Tel: 513-886-2347


Wife, mother, grandmother, and retired interior designer, Miriam Maslin has
been a source of inspiration to many: young and old, secular and religious,
long-time searchers and those who are just beginning their own "Interior
Design". Her inner journey has taken her across the spectrum from the
beginning to the end of the life cycle -- she is a doula and has served as a
hospice volunteer. She incorporates both Polarity Therapy (a system of
energy/holistic healing) and spiritual teachings into her work.  Miriam
has facilitated workshops for women's groups and professionals all over the
United States, Canada, and Israel. You can read more about her at
www.miriammaslin.com


Spring 2010 Tour


Monday, April 26, 2010, Concord, NH
Sponsored by The Family Place at Concord Hospital


Wednesday, April 28, 2010, Sterling, MA
Sponsored by Debbie Paige


Thursday, April 29, 2010, Toronto, ON
Sponsored by Bebo Mia


Monday, May 3, 2010, Winnipeg, MB
Sponsored by Mother to Mother Childbirth Services


Wednesday, May 5, 2010, Cincinnati, OH
Sponsored by WholeCare Chiropractic


Thursday, May 6, 2010, Philadelphia, PA
Sponsored by Priscilla Burgmayer


Monday, May 10, 2010, Thunder Bay, ON
Sponsored by Lindsey Holmstrom


Tuesday, May 11, 2010, London, ON
Sponsored by Sherry Freeman

Monitor your mood in three minutes with 27 questions

Relax News
Monday, 8 March 2010

http://www.mymoodmonitor.com/

A new study proved that the My Mood Monitor (M-3) -- an online one-page secure questionnaire used to self-gauge mood and "relative risk for depression, an anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)" -- is a useful and effective diagnostic tool.
(Relaxnews) -
A new study proved that the My Mood Monitor (M-3) - an online one-page secure questionnaire used to self-gauge mood and "relative risk for depression, an anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)" - is a useful and effective diagnostic tool.
Researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine (UNC) published their findings in the March/April edition of Annals of Family Medicine, a peer-reviewed research journal.
Bradley Gaynes, M.D., M.P.H, associate professor of psychiatry at UNC, led the study and explained those "who suffer from depression and anxiety-related mental health disorders never receives treatment because they don't understand what's wrong, and when they go to their family doctor these treatable illnesses are too often missed. For these millions of people and their primary care providers, the M-3 screener is a tremendously helpful resource."
The M-3 checklist specifically monitors for depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with questions about sleeping and eating patterns and emotional responses to specific situations. There is also the ability to create a private history with the health management tool to record physical symptoms, treatments, and medications. The data is then graphed with a symptom/burden score and progress can be viewed by month, quarter or year. Finally below a patient's graph are four graphs plotting depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) separately to encourage self-tracking and comparison, plus a list of side effects that are associated with each condition.
The healthcare system in the United States and other countries places a great burden on general physicians to diagnose and treat psychiatric disorders. Gaynes confirms that the "initial diagnosis is made by a primary care provider, not by a psychiatrist. In addition, the majority of prescriptions for antidepressant medications are written by primary care physicians." The M-3 is one way a patient can engage with their physician in a valid, easy and informative manner.
By December, a smartphone application of M-3 is expected and the research team at UNC is creating a follow-up study to measure the long-term effectiveness of the M-3 checklist.
Blogger Labels: mood questionnaire,depression,disorder,PTSD,psychiatry,health,treatment,symptom,diagnosis,psychiatrist,physician,disorders,symptoms,treatments,medications,physicians,prescriptions,bipolar,checklist

M-3: http://www.mymoodmonitor.com/
Study: http://www.annfammed.org/

Study: Anesthesia Awareness May Trigger Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Study: Anesthesia Awareness May Trigger Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Nearly two-thirds of patients who experienced intraoperative awareness suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder 5 years after their surgeries, according to researchers who followed up with patients in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong.
"Long-term psychological follow-up should be offered to patients who report awareness regardless of their early postoperative psychological state," suggest the researchers, who published their findings in the March issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia.
The research team surveyed patients who'd experienced awareness during a clinical trial of 2.463 surgical patients designed to study the efficacy of bispectral monitoring. Seven of the 13 patients who'd experienced awareness were still alive, and 5 of them reported symptoms of PTSD, according to the article.
It's not certain, however, that anesthesia awareness caused the PTSD in each case, writes George Mashour, MD, PhD, of the University of Michigan Medical School in an accompanying editorial. The patients in the trial were undergoing potentially stressful high-risk surgeries and may have suffered from other illness-related factors. "Medical events, such as myocardial infarction, can be associated with PTSD," he writes.
Regardless, concludes Dr. Mashour, the high rate of PTSD "reinforces the need for preventing intraoperative awareness."

Kent Steinriede

Blogger Labels: Anesthesia Awareness,Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,PTSD,symptoms,intraoperative awareness

Mental Health Ministries e-Spotlight - Spring 2010

Start Now - May is Mental Health Month

MENTAL HEALTH MONTH
Mental Health Month has provided an opportunity to raise awareness about mental health issues for over 50 years.  Mental Health America launched Mental Health Week, which eventually became May is Mental Health Week, in 1949.  Each May, Americans recognize Mental Health Month with events and activities in communities across the country.  The theme for Mental Health Month this year is “Get Connected” to emphasize the important role of social relationships in protecting and improving mental health and building resiliency. 

There are now designated times in May for groups to raise awareness and advocate for improvements in research, prevention and treatment on specific mental health issues.  The first week in May, for example, has been designated as Children’s Mental Health Week.  But the specific times are not as important as educating about all mental illnesses any time of the year.

Mental Health Ministries is featuring several downloadable resources that may be helpful in your planning.  Many of our free print resources are available in Spanish.

May is Mental Health Month can be used as a bulletin insert or flyer.  Also available in Spanish.

Mental Illness in Children and Adolescents can also be used as a bulletin insert or handout.  Also available in Spanish.

Guidelines for Organizing a Successful Conference gives tips on organizing a conference, seminar or workshop. (PDF, English / PDF, Spanish)

Children’s Mental Health Week is a bulletin insert using the green ribbon symbol

HAITI - THE EMOTIONAL AFTERSHOCK
We have all been deeply affected by the devastation in Haiti.  Many of us made donations to groups that were able to get much needed food and medical services to the Haitian people.  It will take years before Haiti can rebuild.

After the initial calls for basic needs, persons working in Haiti called for mental health professionals to begin to meet the psychological trauma…the emotional aftershocks.

The emotional aftershocks of the tragedy in Haiti can also affect persons in this county who are vulnerable because of past traumatic experiences.  The November e-Spotlight featured some resources on trauma.  I want to list up again the Sidran resource, Risking Connection in Faith Communities…A Training Curriculum for Faith Leaders Supporting Trauma Survivors.

The five propositions around which Risking Connection in Health Communities is organized are:  I1)  The experience of trauma can wound human beings in six major realms, many of which affect the formation of relationships;  (2)  Relationships are central to healing from trauma;  (3)  Because humans are spiritual beings, trauma affects our relationship with God, and our relationship with God contributes to our healing from trauma; (4)  Those who help trauma survivors will also be personally affected by the survivor’s experience and response to the trauma;  and (5), Communities in general, and faith communities in particular, extend the web of relationships, both with others and with God.   For information on this book and training opportunities, visit http://www.riskingconnection.com/.

After the November e-Spotlight I heard from some of you with other resources on trauma.  Joyce Boaz sent some articles from the website, Gifts From Within, http://www.giftfromwithin.org/html/articles.html#spirit
on PTSD and spirituality.

MENTAL ILLNESS AND FAMILIES OF FAITH: THE CHALLENGE AND THE VISION
I have written a four session resource/study guide for clergy and communities of faith in response to the many questions and requests for information that I receive from persons who want to include spirituality as an important part of the treatment and recovery process. 

Surveys show that over forty percent of Americans seeking help with mental health issues turn first to ministers, priests and rabbis.  This is twice as many as those who went first to a psychiatrist, psychologist or family physician.  Unfortunately, the response of clergy and congregations falls significantly short of what parishioners expect of their faith leaders.  Individuals struggling with mental illness are significantly less likely to receive the same level of pastoral care as persons in the hospital with physical illnesses, persons who are dying or those who have long-term illnesses.  Mental illness has been called the “no casserole disease.” 

This resource is designed to be used with clergy, members of congregations, family members and anyone desiring to learn more about mental illness and how to respond with compassion and care.  It can be used as a small group study or leaders can adapt it to use in an extended class or seminar.  Faith leaders can use this guide to quickly find information on a specific topic when the need arrives.

The four sections included in this resource/study guide include:

  • Understanding Mental Illness
  • The Unique Role of Faith Communities
  • Creating Caring Congregations
  • Help for Faith Leaders.

This is a FREE resource that can be downloaded on the Mental Health Ministries website as a PDF document.  Click here to download this new resource.

2010 NAMI NATIONAL CONVENTION
The NAMI national convention will be held in Washington D.C. on June 30-July 3, 2010.  This gives you the opportunity to be part of the July 4th celebrations in our nation’s capitol!  The theme for this year’s conference is Recovery and Reform: The Road From Here.  More information and registration forms are available at www.nami.org/convention.

The NAMI FaithNet Advisory Committee’s proposal to offer a workshop on “How to Get Started” has been approved.  Nancy Kehoe, author of Wrestling With Our Inner Angels, will be presenting a 90 minute symposium on the important role of spirituality in dealing with mental illness.

For further updates and resources for May is Mental Health Month, you can subscribe to the NAMI FaithNet e-newsletter at http://www.nami.org/faithnet to received information on resources on ways to educate about mental illness in our faith communities.

PATHWAYS TO PROMISE CONFERENCE DOWNLOADS
Presentations from the national summit, Companions on the Road to Recovery from Mental Illness: Pathways for the 21st Century, held in October of 2009 in St. Louis, MO., are now available on-line as free downloads.  The conference agenda is posted on http://www.pathways2promise.org/ with embedded links to some 20 of the presentations from the conference. 

ARTICLE - HOW CATHOLICS STRUGGLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS
Mental illness is still murky territory for those who experience it, their families, and their church.   An article called Through a Glass Darkly: How Catholics Struggle with Mental Illness available at http://www.uscatholic.org/node/5811

SNIPPETS FROM SUSAN
There are times in our lives that are so significant that they become delineators between before and after…births, deaths, marriages and other major events.  The fall of 1991 was one of those life changing events with my first hospitalization for severe clinical depression. 

Despite my seminary classes in pastoral counseling, I had no idea what was happening.  It was a frightening time for my family as we struggled to understand my illness.  Because of the stigma and shame, and the very real fear of losing my job as a pastor, we hid my illness from the congregation for two years.  My family suffered in silence. 

Things have gotten better over the years, but many clergy and faith letters remain silent about mental illness or see it as a moral or spiritual failure. 

A few weeks ago I had lunch with a colleague who I had not seen for five years.  We had a lot of catching up to do as we shared our ministries.  He was surprised to learn that I was no longer serving a church but I had started a ministry to create resources to help reduce the stigma of mental illness in our faith communities.

There was a pause in our conversation.  He said, “I have been struggling with depression for almost a year but haven’t told anyone in my congregation.”  I related how I kept my illness a secret from my congregation for two years and how my family and I suffered in silence and how sharing my story opened the door to moved the community to begin to create a caring congregation.

My colleague was not ready to share his illness but wanted to know how to begin to talk about mental illness in his congregation.  I suggested that he simply include “persons with a mental illness and their families” in his pastoral prayer next Sunday.

The following Monday I received a call from my colleague saying that, to his amazement, three parishioners had come up to him to share their struggles with serious mental illness.  He said, “I didn’t think anyone in my congregation had a mental illness.”  I encouraged him, when he was comfortable, to share his story with the congregation.  I also shared ways he can begin to educate about mental illness.

I pray for the time when individuals and families living with a loved one with a mental illness will be silent no more.

 

Rev. Susan Gregg-Schroeder
Coordinator of Mental Health Ministries
6707 Monte Verde Dr.
San Diego, CA 92119
http://www.mentalhealthministries.net/

Marce/PSI conference abstract submission deadline April 1

International Marcé Society Conference 2010 – Call for proposals, deadline April 1.

The Marcé Society, (http://www.marcesociety.com/) with our partners from Postpartum Support International, PSI (www.postpartum.net ) envisions a world in which perinatal mental illnesses are prevented and cured.  To dovetail with the strategic plan of NIMH, the Marcé Society conference will be organized according to the plan’s aims.  The four themes of the strategic plan have been adapted to structure the program content (www.nimh.nih.gov/about/strategic-planning-reports/index.shtml):  1) Promote discovery in the brain and behavioral sciences to fuel research on the causes of perinatal mental disorders; 2) Chart perinatal mental illness trajectories to determine when, where, and how to intervene; 3) Develop new and better interventions that incorporate the diverse needs and circumstances of women with perinatal mental illnesses and their families; 4) Strengthen the public health impact of NIMH-supported research for women with perinatal disorders and their families.  Elaboration of these themes is presented below.  We are now accepting abstracts in this broad group of topics --- Deadline April 1, 2010!

Link to Submit Abstracts http://www.wpic.pitt.edu/research/marce2010/

President Katherine L. Wisner, M.D., M.S., has selected the overarching theme of the Marcé Society 2010 meeting: Perinatal Mental Health Research: Harvesting the Potential. Thanks to Dr. Vivette Glover (UK) who has agreed to chair the abstract review committee. Structured abstracts will be considered (deadline April 1st 2010) for the following Presentation Formats:

Oral Paper Presentations may be submitted by individuals. Sessions will consist of 20 minute presentations followed by discussion, and will be incorporated into a symposium with related papers. If papers are not accepted for oral presentation, they will be considered for poster presentations

Symposia may be submitted. A chairperson must be named. The symposium must contain four paper, 20 minutes in length, with a 10 minute discussion period led by the Symposium chairperson. The Chair may also present a paper. An overall abstract for the symposium, which provides the basis for the selection of papers, must be provided along with abstracts for each paper.

Special Interest Group. This is a new format for the meeting that provides an informal discussion opportunity; no slides are allowed! Two organizers must be named to lead a discussion of a novel (not usually included in Marcé meetings) topic of interest to the membership. All members will be welcome to join the discussion.

Posters. Posters are visual displays of program descriptions, research findings, clinical information or other topic content of interest to the Society.

Tentative Topic Areas

· Tuesday, 26 October 2010    Educational In-service by PSI

· Wednesday, 27 October 2010 (pre-conference workshops):

Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Perinatal Depression                        

Sustaining Postpartum Support Networks                  

Evidence-Based Pharmacotherapy during Pregnancy  

Interpersonal and Social Rhythms Therapy during Childbearing              

Perinatal Mental Health–Concept Development to Funded Research (Modeling of an NIH Study Section Review)          

Starting Your Program in Perinatal Mental Health 

Opening Keynote Lecture 1  

· Thursday, 28 October 2010:

Contributions of Perinatal Mental Health Research to the Field of Psychology

Contributions of Perinatal Mental Health Research to the Field of Psychiatry

Perinatal Mental Health Research and Infant Behavior Disorders: Strategizing to Optimize Early Development   

Biopsychosocial Contributions of Fathers to Pregnancy Outcome

· Friday, 29 October 2010:

The Lived Experience of Postpartum Disorder                   

Antidepressants/Antimanic Agents during Pregnancy

Prenatal Antidepressants and/or Depression on Offspring Development

Vertical Transmission of Risk from Caregiver to Infant    

· Saturday, 30 October 2010:

Marce Medalist Presentation

The Channi Kumar Lecture

FDA’s Pregnancy Labeling: Improving Prescribing Information

Blogger Labels: International Marce Society,conference,Postpartum Support International,NIMH,Perinatal Mental Health,Interpersonal Psychotherapy,Postpartum Depression,Pharmacotherapy,Psychology,Psychiatry,Infant Behavior,Antidepressants,Prenatal,disorders,interventions,Fathers,women

Midwives want to meet Roxon to avoid home-birth ban

KATE BENSON

…She said many women who had undergone traumatic births, with extensive intervention, were eager to avoid a repeat performance but were often left with little choice.

''Keeping away from obstetric intervention by having a home birth is the best chance they have of achieving a normal vaginal birth,'' Ms Caines said.

Up to 70 per cent of home births were by women who had previously delivered by caesarean and there was a growing band who would deliver at home alone if home births were outlawed.

''We don't want that. It's sad that reasonable women and reasonable midwives are being pushed to unreasonable limits,'' Ms Caines said.

Ms Whitehair, who had longed for a natural birth, spent months researching a home delivery. Abi's birth, attended by two private midwives, cost her almost $5000 but was ''beautiful and textbook''.

Blogger Labels: traumatic births,obstetric intervention,women

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/midwives-want-to-meet-roxon-to-avoid-homebirth-ban-20100309-pvul.html

Monday, March 8, 2010

The Postpartum Resource Center of New York – Upcoming Events

3/16/10
Tuesday

Free Perinatal Mood Disorders Training in Islandia, NY Presented by the Postpartum Resource Center of New York - Building a Perinatal Depression Safety Net in Our Community presented by Sonia Murdock, Executive Director, Postpartum Resource Center of New York

Location:   
Islandia Village Hall
1100 Old Nichols Road
Islandia, NY 11749

Time:
9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

E-mail:
info@postpartumny.org

Phone:
(631) 422-2255

Pre-registration is required. Seating is limited.

PDF Event Brochure

Thank you to the Village of Islandia for providing the space for this important training.

 

3/20/10
Saturday

Moms on Call and Family Support Volunteer Telephone Support Training West Islip, New York

Are you interested in listening and supporting women in need to not feel alone and to give them hope while at risk for or experiencing a perinatal mood disorder? Join us at the Postpartum Resource Center of New York for Moms on Call and Family Support Volunteer Telephone Support Training.

Location:   
West Islip, New York (close to Babylon Train Station)

Time:
10 am - 3 pm

E-mail:
info@postpartumny.org

Telephone:
631-422-2255

Lunch will be provided. RSVP and for further details.

 

3/26/10

Suffolk Perinatal Coalition's Perinatal Mood Disorder Task Force

To confirm your attendence at the meeting please call Suffolk Perinatal Coalition at (631) 475-5400.

Location:   
Family Service League
1444 Fifth Avenue
Bay Shore, New York

Time:
2:30 p.m.

Web site:
www.scpc.net

 

Find more: http://www.postpartumny.org/events.htm

Do pregnant women face growing expectations to be ‘perfect’ mothers?

Mar 8 2010 by Madeleine Brindley, Western Mail

Health Editor Madeleine Brindley asks whether society and the media are putting too much pressure on pregnant women to become perfect mothers

CHILDBIRTH may be the most natural event in the world but that doesn’t mean being a mother – or indeed a father – comes naturally.

Pregnancy is no longer a private event; over the past 20 years it has increasingly become a public event.

As women have been steadily carving out a presence in the public sphere and are no longer confined purely to the domestic, a once male-dominated society has been forced to consider and give prominence to traditionally female issues of pregnancy, child birth and child rearing.

We have seen advances in maternity – and paternity – leave and large strides have been made in combating workplace and professional discrimination against pregnant women.

But with this attention comes expectation and pressure: pressure on women to excel as mothers and as workers and to juggle the demands of both their personal and professional lives.

The emergence firstly of superwoman, followed more recently by the yummy mummy has led to a shift in the common perception of childbirth from an incredibly painful and long event to an almost blissful experience in which children are born quickly and easily with the minimum of problems and discomfort.

Giving birth has become a minor event and motherhood in no way derails a woman from her chosen career.

Elaine Hanzak believes that this constant pressure on women to be perfect mothers and superwomen has led to most new mothers experiencing postnatal depression “in some shape or form”.

Postnatal depression covers a broad range of conditions from the so-called “baby blues” to the severe and life-threatening puerperal psychosis.

Official figures quoted by the Royal College of Psychiatrists would suggest one in 10 mothers suffer from postnatal depression but a survey last year for website netmums found that 54% of mothers said their mental health suffered after giving birth.

Ms Hanzak, who experienced postnatal depression firsthand following the birth of her son Dominic, said: “As a society we have lost the cherish-ness of pregnancy – with so many mothers working today, it has almost become a status symbol to keep working literally to the point when you drop.

“And as soon as women have given birth the expectation is that within 10 minutes she should be back in her size eight jeans, rustling up a meal…

Blogger Labels: expectations,CHILDBIRTH,Pregnancy,expectation,demands,superwoman,children,Postnatal Depression,puerperal psychosis

Read more: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/health-news/2010/03/08/do-pregnant-women-face-growing-expectations-to-be-perfect-mothers-91466-25981749/

PSI Chat with an Expert Phone Forum, 3/10/2010, 12:00 pm

Posted by: "Postpartum_Support_International"

Sun Mar 7, 2010 9:00 am (PST)

Reminder from: Postpartum_Support_International Yahoo! Group

Chat with an Expert Phone Forum


Wednesday March 10, 2010
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
(This event repeats every other week.)
Location: Eastern Time

http://www.postpartum.net/Professionals-and-Community/PSI-Chat-with-an-Expert.aspx

NIH Consenus Development Conference on VBAC This Week; Watch Online

Posted by Rachel

Beginning today and continuing through March 10, the National Institutes of Health is hosting a “consensus development conference” on the topic of vaginal birth after cesarean section.

A free live webcast (with captioning) of the conference is being made available for those who can’t attend the Bethesda, MD event. (You may need to download an appropriate media player to watch it.)

Various experts are discussing the medical evidence on VBAC (audience discussion has been lively already!), including the following key questions:

  • What are the rates and patterns of utilization of trial of labor after prior cesarean, vaginal birth after cesarean, and repeat cesarean delivery in the United States?
  • Among women who attempt a trial of labor after prior cesarean, what is the vaginal delivery rate and the factors that influence it?
  • What are the short- and long-term benefits and harms to the mother of attempting trial of labor after prior cesarean versus elective repeat cesarean delivery, and what factors influence benefits and harms?
  • What are the short- and long-term benefits and harms to the baby of maternal attempt at trial of labor after prior cesarean versus elective repeat cesarean delivery, and what factors influence benefits and harms?
  • What are the nonmedical factors that influence the patterns and utilization of trial of labor after prior cesarean?
  • What are the critical gaps in the evidence for decision-making, and what are the priority investigations needed to address these gaps?

They are also expected to discuss a systematic literature review on the topic prepared under contract with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) which will be completed and released this year and will address these same key questions. The previous AHRQ review on the topic was completed in 2003, and identified significant gaps in the literature and the problems those gaps pose for informed decision-making. A full agenda with listed presenters and sponsors is available online.

Following the conference, a panel will prepare a consensus statement addressing the key questions; you can sign up to be notified when the draft and final statements are available online and/or to receive a mailed copy of the final statement.

The Feminist Breeder is planning to have coverage of the conference on her blog and radio show, and the International Cesarean Awareness Network is planning a blog carnival on the topic of why VBAC is a viable option [hat tip to Jill at The Unnecesarean]. The hashtag #nihvbac is being used for discussion on Twitter.

The full conference will be archived at the NIH website, so if you can’t watch this week, you can view the proceedings later.

Filed at 12:26 pm in Pregnancy & Childbirth

Blogger Labels: VBAC,Online,AHRQ,Feminist Breeder,International Cesarean Network,Unnecesarean,Pregnancy,Childbirth

http://www.ourbodiesourblog.org/blog/2010/03/nih-consenus-development-conference-on-vbac-this-week-watch-online

When She Can’t Speak Out, You Can

CARE - Voices Against Violence - Help women and girls silenced by violence - Take Action


Every voice against violence makes a difference - Take Action Dear Jodi,

Today, people around the world will celebrate International Women's Day, with a focus on equal rights, equal opportunities and progress for all. This call to action is timely — despite the great strides that have been made to advance women's rights, there's much more work to be done to empower women so they can escape poverty.
Violence remains one of the most pervasive human rights violations perpetuated against women and girls. One in three women will be beaten, raped or abused in their lifetime, and gender-based violence is at epidemic proportions in many of the world's poorest countries.
Sadly, most of these acts go unreported out of shame or fear of retaliation, and the vicious cycle of abuse continues.
To break this silence and help bring an end to these atrocities, I urge you to sign our Voices Against Violence petition today, in honor of International Women's Day. We have a goal of collecting 10,000 signatures to the petition so that we can send our elected officials a strong message that we must call for an end to the abuses that have silenced hundreds of thousands of women and girls.
The aftermath of abuse can be devastating. Even after recovering from her physical wounds, a survivor could face an unwanted pregnancy or contract a sexually-transmitted disease, like HIV. Members of her community or family may shun her. And finally, the memories of the abuse can scar her for a lifetime. Ultimately, violence against women and girls prevents them, their families and whole communities from escaping poverty.
I'm sure you agree that we cannot let sexual and gender-based violence continue to keep women and girls from thriving and creating a brighter future for themselves, their families and communities. Please, add your voice to the chorus calling on our elected officials to make ending violence against poor women and girls worldwide a priority. Together, we can help them break free from the cycle of abuse and poverty.

Thank you,
Helene Gayle
Helene D. Gayle, MD, MPH
President and CEO, CARE

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