Infant Deaths After C-Sections Rise Even in Low-Risk Pregnancies - Forbes.com

Infant Deaths After C-Sections Rise Even in Low-Risk Pregnancies - Forbes.com: "However, the study found that the death rate among neonatal infants delivered by Caesarean section was more than twice that of infants delivered vaginally. This held true even after the researchers adjusted for socio-demographic and medical risk factors."
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"While timely Caesareans in response to medical conditions have proven to be life-saving interventions for countless mothers and babies, we are currently witnessing a different phenomenon -- a growing number of primary Caesareans without a reported medical condition," MacDorman said. "Although the neonatal mortality rate for this group of low-risk women remains low regardless of the method of delivery, the resulting increase in the Caesarean rate may inadvertently be putting a larger population of babies at increased risk for neonatal mortality."

The study was published in the latest issue of the journal Birth: Issues in Perinatal Care.

Patient-Requested Cesarean Update

Patient-Requested Cesarean Update: "Both Dr. Zinberg and Dr. D'Alton stress that women who request cesarean delivery in the absence of any medical indication should be counseled on the risks associated with cesarean, including a higher risk of infection, adhesions (painful scar tissue under the skin), pulmonary embolisms (blood clots), complications from the use of anesthesia, and the potential need for future cesareans, which entail additional risk. They also pointed out that the decision to perform a CDMR should be carefully individualized and consistent with ethical principles. 'There is also a growing concern of the increased risk of babies born before 39 weeks of gestation; therefore, CDMR should not be performed prior to 39 weeks of gestation or without verification of lung maturity,' says Dr. Zinberg."

John Edwards & Childbirth - Wikipedia

John Edwards - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In 1985, Edwards tried a case involving medical malpractice during childbirth, representing a five-year-old child born with cerebral palsy whose doctor did not choose to perform an immediate Caesarian delivery when a fetal monitor showed she was in distress. Edwards won a $6.5 million verdict for his client, but five weeks later, the presiding judge sustained the verdict but overturned the award on grounds that it was "excessive" and that it appeared "to have been given under the influence of passion and prejudice," adding that in his opinion "the evidence was insufficient to support the verdict." He offered the plaintiffs half of the jury's award, but the child's family appealed the case and settled for $4.25 million.^[13] Winning this case established the North Carolina precedent of physician and hospital liability for failing to determine if the patient understood risks of a particular procedure.^[14]

After this trial, Edwards gained national attention as a plaintiff's lawyer. He filed at least 20 similar lawsuits in the years following and achieved verdicts and settlements of more than $60 million for his clients. His fee, as is customary in "contingency" cases, was one-third of the settlement plus expenses. These successful lawsuits were followed by similar ones across the country. When asked about an increase in Caesarean deliveries nationwide, perhaps to avoid similar medical malpractice lawsuits, Edwards said, "The question is, would you rather have cases where that happens instead of having cases where you don't intervene and a child either becomes disabled for life or dies in utero?"^[13]

Early skin-to-skin contact for mothers and their healthy newborn infants

Early skin-to-skin contact for mothers and their healthy newborn infants:

"Skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby at birth reduces crying, improves mother-baby interaction, keeps the baby warmer, and helps women breastfeed successfully. In many cultures, babies are generally cradled naked on their mother's bare chest at birth. Historically, this was necessary for the baby's survival. In recent times, in some societies as more babies are born in hospital, babies are separated or dressed before being given to their mothers. It has been suggested that in industrialized societies, hospital routines may significantly disrupt early mother-infant interactions and have harmful effects. The review was done to see if there was any impact of early skin-to-skin contact between the mother and her newborn baby on infant health, behavior and breastfeeding. The review included 30 studies involving 1925 mothers and their babies. It showed that babies interacted more with their mothers, stayed warmer, and cried less. Babies were more likely to be breastfed, and to breastfeed for longer, if they had early skin-to-skin contact. Babies were also, possibly, more likely to have a good early relationship with their mothers, but this was difficult to measure."

Henci Goer: Informed Choice in Childbirth

Henci Goer: Informed Choice in Childbirth

Caesarean High Risk for Babies of Low Risk Mothers

Spotlighting News - Caesarean Birth Babies in Risk
commenting below this article was disabled. However,
I also dug this article up here:
http://www.irishhealth.com/?level=4&id=10173
where comments may still be made.

Cesarean spike drives up Medicaid costs

Cesarean spike drives up Medicaid costs - Baby Basics

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 (UPI) — About one-quarter of all children born in the United States — over 1 million — are delivered by Cesarean section, a new report says.

That marks a 38 percent increase from 1997, when about a fifth of all American babies were delivered by Cesarean, the study by Health and Human Services’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found.

Cesarean Section Homepage

Cesarean Section - Childbirth.org

John Edwards vs. Babies and Moms

Michael Fumento: John Edwards vs. Babies and Moms

Yet Edwards won his cases not because scientific evidence favored him but because of his smooth-talking "trust-me" demeanor -- and heart-wrenching pleas in which he ghoulishly sometimes pretended to be the voice of the unfortunate child crying out for justice.

It's not considered impossible that asphyxiation during birth could cause cerebral palsy; just darned unlikely. United Cerebral Palsy lists about a dozen ways to help prevent the condition. Not one mentions the birthing procedure.

Further, in what's called "defensive medicine," lawsuit fears increased the number of "When in doubt, cut it out" C-sections. Cesareans in the U.S. had begun dropping in the late 1980s, going as low as 22 percent of deliveries. As Edwards and friends spread fear across the Ob/gyn land, rates began to climb again. The rate is now 30.2 percent, a record high for the nation.

The C-section epidemic - Los Angeles Times

The C-section epidemic - Los Angeles Times

More women are dying in childbirth thanks to the high numbers of doctors and mothers who opt out of normal delivery.

By Jennifer Block
September 24, 2007

Pre-term births are on the rise. Nearly one-third of women have major abdominal surgery to give birth. And compared with other industrialized countries, the United States ranks second-to-last in infant survival. For years, these numbers have suggested something is terribly amiss in delivery wards. Now there is even more compelling evidence that the U.S. maternity care system is failing: For the first time in decades, the number of women dying in childbirth has increased.

Disposable Diapers linked to Infertility

BBC News | HEALTH | Nappy 'link to infertility':

"High scrotal temperatures are known to reduce sperm counts in adults. The German scientists believe their discovery could explain the rise in male infertility and drop in sperm counts over the past 25 years. Cotton nappies The average sperm count of European men has dropped by 25% over the last 25 years and around 27,000 British couples seek infertility treatment every year."

Long-term effects

Writing in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, which is published by the British Medical Journal, the scientists said their findings were significant.

"It seems to be possible that a prolonged and continuous elevation of testicular temperature by a mean of one degree can affect the maturation of the infant testis."

They added: "Plastic nappy use may have a negative long-term effect on testicular maturation, spermatogenesis and, in addition, may facilitate the development of testicular cancer."

Tim Hedgely, chairman of the fertility charity Issue, commented: "This research is quite staggering and could be of immense importance to us.

"There is no question that a disposable nappy creates a warm, damp environment for a child to sit on while something like a cotton towel leaks out wetness."

I Called ICAN

and spoke with a lovely lady who gave me some good recommendations for a dear sister of mine who just underwent Caesarean surgery. She said that she is not at liberty to give out medical advice but that "If it were her," she would amp up her intake of quality vitamins, such as Vitamin C as it fights infection, and very good quality Vitamin E to take orally and also to rub on the scar. Also recommended was staying on a good pre-natal vitamin.

While nursing, she said at least 2500 calories a day should be consumed -healthy calories.
Drink a LOT of water. She said at least half of one's body weight in ounces. So a 200 lb. woman should have at least 100 ounces of water a day. I think the keeping hydrated part is probably extremely important during the healing process.

RED Rasberry leaf tea. She said every woman every day would benefit as it's especially healthy for reproduction related organs(?) She said hot, cold, sweet, with honey, however.

And chiropractic care. She was very much for this.

She that my sister's recovery was important, esp. if she planned to go through the medical establishment for her next birth as in order for them to "allow" her to attempt a VBAC in a hospital setting, she would have to have a stellar recovery from this one.

She was quite in favor of HBAC which sounded like one of the best ways I can think of to heal from a bad birth -have a beautiful one.

Last, I shared that my sister was experiencing some strong emotions, which is a very healthy sign. The ICAN representative said that our experiences shape us and make us into the person we're to become and also help us help others in ways we couldn't without those experiences.

Trust Birth Conference 2008

Trust Birth Conference 2008

From Calling To Courtroom

From Calling To Courtroom

Philosophically, I believe that it is the natural birth right of women to be midwives for one another. I do not believe that midwifery is, nor should it be considered a profession or a medical process. That idea seems to me to be as wrong as calling motherhood a profession when, in fact, it is a natural way of being. Alice Skenadore

Good News for People Who Love VBAC News

Mothering Magazine News Bulletins August 2006: "Good News for People Who Love VBAC News"

The undervalued art of vaginal breech birth:

a skill every birth attendant should learn Mothering - Find Articles

Ina May - Author, Activist, Innovator

Ina May - Author, Activist, Innovator

Homefirst Health Services - Home

Homefirst Health Services - Home

Mothering Magazine Birth Preparation Article: Dangers Of Cytotech

Mothering Magazine Birth Preparation Article: Dangers Of Cytotech

Homebirth Story: Candles Not Required by Jenna Hull

Homebirth Story: Candles Not Required by Jenna Hull

You Want To Give Birth Where?

You Want To Give Birth Where? - A Mothering Magazine Article

Heads Up! All About Breech Babies

BreechBabies.com

Birth Facts

Birth The Play :: Birth Resources :: Facts on Birth

Doula - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Doula - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Home Birth Coloring Book!

Coloring Book - North Carolina Homebirth

Pregnant in America

Pregnant in America

Best-kept Secrets (The Pill Aborts)

American Life League - your pro-life information source

	Respond to Judie