December 1, 2008
Reading
Evidence-Based Maternity Care: What It Is and What It Can Achieve
A powerful and meticulously researched report from Childbirth Connection, The Reforming States Group, and the Milbank Memorial Fund. This report details the high cost of overused maternity care interventions (many of which are not evidence-based) and underused nonpharmacological maternity care options (many of which are evidence-based). Includes action items. Download at no cost from the Childbirth Connection.
Nursing Care and Management of the Second Stage of Labor (Second Edition)
All educators need to be familiar with the new evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for second stage published in November by AWHONN (Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses). The publication can be ordered from the AWHONN online bookstore.
The Birth Survey (also known as The Transparency in Maternity Care Project)
Consumers can now complete detailed questionnaires evaluating their health care provider and place of birth. Results from the surveys, including hospital intervention rates, are compiled and available at The Birth Survey.
Lamaze Pregnancy E-Newsletter: Building Confidence Week by Week
Unlike resources that focus on what might go wrong during pregnancy, Lamaze Pregnancy E-Newsletter celebrates pregnancy and contains content that helps to increase a woman's confidence in her body and in her ability to give birth. A wonderful, free resource for the women and families in your childbirth classes. Your students can sign up at the Lamaze website.
Viewing
A trio of thought-provoking films promoting out-of-hospital birth have come out recently. If you'd like to know what everyone is talking about, here are the web links for the three films.
The Business of Being Born
Ricki Lake's controversial film which provoked a press release from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) criticizing home birth.
Orgasmic Birth
A provocative film also promoting home and out-of-hospital births with maternity care experts including Christiane Northrup, Marsden Wagner, Sarah Buckley, Robbie Davis-Floyd, Ina May Gaskin, and Penny Simkin. Be sure to watch the extra feature, Birth By The Numbers with Gene Declercq from Boston University, an eye-opening look at birth trends in the US, as well as how birth in the United States compares with birth in other industrialized countries.
Pregnant in America
Humor, interviews, and a Michael Moore-like look at maternity care in America.