One of the most frustrating statements to me is when people tell me: "hospitals are the reason women aren't dying in childbirth anymore, you should be grateful for them, home births are SOOOOO dangerous and you will DIE if you have one..."
Besides the fact this statement is annoying, it's just plain ignorant.
Maternal mortality is actually INCREASING in the United States.
Non-necessary inductions and c-sections are a speculated (though convincing) reason for this rise - not to mention motherhood obesity/diabetes and lack of prenatal care due to insurance issues. It still floors me how blasé we have become about c-sections - considering they are MAJOR ABDOMINAL SURGERY (and I know, I know, 15% of births do need to end in c-sections and they are completely necessary for a healthy outcome... but our rate is a little over twice that, meaning that more than half of c-sections in the United States are not necessary). For instance, when I worked at the women's shelter, there was a young girl with a new baby who had a c-section a few days previously. She showed up at the hospital barely in labor with no place to go because her boyfriend had kicked her out. Rather than helping her find a place or simply letting her continue to labor at her own pace (or even just sending her away to walk around the mall or Wal-Mart or something until she was REALLY in labor, which sucks, yes but is better than the risks associated with a c-section), they did a c-section a few hours later with no absolutely NO medical indication. Poverty + lack of education = poor medical outcome.
But what do we do? How do we disseminate information? How do we educate women on the their choices? How do we change the attitudes of [some] doctors and the environment of [most] hospitals and the fact that hospitals are businesses and want money and c-sections=money? Why are practices still occurring left and right in the United States when the World Health Organization has deemed them more harmful than helpful (routine induction/episiotomy, lithotomy position, etc.)?
Thanks for this post, Caitlin. I love when you blog about birthing because you are so well-informed and express yourself so well. I think a factor contributing to the exorbitant c-section rate is women's placing all of their confidence in their medical providors rather in themselves and their bodies. Doctors ARE influenced/motivated by insurance issues and politics (liability decreases if more women are sectioned and many hospitals as a policy don't allow VBACS)as well as a crisis, problem-focused paradigm. If a man in a white coat tells a woman that she has an "unproven pelvis," that she's a "failure to progress," that her baby is too big and she needs to be induced, that the fetal heart tones are not reassuring and they need to do a section, etc etc etc most women are not going to contradict him or ask for more time to go into labor on their own. He knows what is best, he is the authority. This is so sad to me, I feel like women give their power away and compromise their humanity by believing that they are not capable, that their bodies are "broken" and that ALL birth is dangerous. It's true that complications can and do occur during birth, but the interventions rendered are completely disproportionate to the actual incidence of problems. I wish women would question more. I have a friend whose OB wanted to section her immediatly because her baby was breech and wouldn't turn. She and her husband left the office immediatly and awhile later she had her breech baby at home. (http://redheadmusings.blogspot.com/2010/06/story-of-miriams-breech-homebirth.html). That was so inspiring to me! Some might consider their decision to ignore the doctor's advice risky and dangerous, but they had a beautiful and absolutely safe experience. I hope you keep blogging more about this...I think your confidence can inspire other women.
ReplyDeletethanks for the heads up cait! i am going to make my hubby read this tonight- he is stuck on the idea that the hospital is the best and only place i will deliver our babies. ha. i'm trying to sway him my way (home birth! home birth!) but whether he comes around or not, its happening my way :)
ReplyDeleteI also think a lot of is so many women are afraid of labor and do not want to push that big baby our of such a little hole :)
ReplyDeleteYou know i had a very necessary c section followed by a required c section do to a vbac ban.
When talking to the doctors about why the require vbacs the answers where along the lines. "we are too small to handle an emergency situation, VBACS are too dangerous, you have a big chance of reputre."
I do not know why any women would want a c section. the recovery process is so horrible and miserable!
I would never do a home birth due to the issues Jackie had i worry too much about that happening again! but do support those that do them :)
Insurance (and unnecessary interventions...) are huge. OBGYNS malpractice insurance rate are sky high so they "have" to be more cautious than not. As a c-section mom who was able to VBAC i cannot even begin to explain the amazing amazing amazing-ness of a vaginal (and natural) birth. I wish we could change it. Even with ACOG's change for VBACs this July i doubt it will change. Out here in Cali, a hospital has a "low" section rate if it falls around 25%. That's horrifying!
ReplyDeleteand i agree about the hospitals aren't always best, thing, but i can also say from personal experience when complications do arise at home or in a birthing center *the latter my experience* there is NOTHING scarier than realizing there is nothing you can do. I'm grateful my baby was okay, but it's not always that way... but i guess i'm just scared now. Both ways. Hospital and home.
If people could just realize that VBAC is at best safer than, and at worse, as safe as, a second C-section, that would be great. I think that would cut down on a lot of unnecessary C-sections.
ReplyDeleteAre you going to the stake's motherhood activity tomorrow? I am interested to see what the message is there ...
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this post from you, but as much as home birthing is becoming MUCH safer to do than it used to be it still brings up the question in my mind...what happens in an emergency?
ReplyDeleteAs much as a midwife and other helpful supporters are there for you during this time if you choose to do a home birth, there are still major risks and problems that could occur which could cause serious injury or death to mother, child, or both.
As much as I have to admit that hospitals are becoming quite pricey and do tend to follow the need and want for money, hospitals and trained doctors and there (along with the help of wonderful advanced technology and medicine) in case of an emergency.
C-Sections are not the best way to go, that is true, but there is no denying that the need for emergency c-sections is a major one and would not be able to occur if at a home birth. As many cons are there are to hospitals, doctors, and C-Sections, you can't deny the ever increasing pro's that come with each one of them.
I don't know...I have very mixed feelings on this one. Before I got pregnant, I was pretty pro-natural childbirth (not saying that I'm not anymore) but now since I've had a necessary c-section, I think I might opt for c-sections here on out. Call me crazy, but I had a great experience. My recovery was pretty easy, I was off pain meds the second day home, felt back to normal after a week or so, and my babies still came when they were supposed to (meaning my water broke naturally). I don't think I'll ever schedule a c-section, but I'm not convinced that a VBAC is for me either. Like I said, I have mixed feelings on it and I guess it's ok because it's going to be at least a couple of years before baby #3 comes along.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I don't like the bashing that c-sections get. People are all for women to have choices, but when they choose a c-section for whatever reason, they're all of the sudden ignorant. Again, I don't know what I'll end up doing. I'm kinda on the fence with this one.