Well, according to the AMA, it should be doctors and the law. The AMA and ACOG sites don't link to this statement (scroll down) yet, but it's all over the news.
Essentially, the American Medical Association has resolved to create model legislation that mandates that “the safest setting for labor, delivery, and the immediate post-partum period is in the hospital, or a birthing center within a hospital complex, that meets standards jointly outlined by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and ACOG, or in a freestanding birthing center that meets the standards of the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, The Joint Commission, or the American Association of Birth Centers.” (link to quote)
Whether you agree or disagree, what do you think? Whose choice is it? Who gets to evaluate safety?
~S~
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
I get so frustrated with the AMA when it comes to this issue. It seems obvious to me that they're trying to make laws to protect their income. But it seems like such a silly thing to pursue, with such a minority of people having homebirths. Why bother?
I think it should be up to the parents to choose where to give birth. Leave it to us to be well-informed (or not, as we so choose) and select the birthing option right for us. It doesn't need to be legislated.
EEK!! I read this article last week and was disgusted (once again) w/ the AMA. I do not understand why it is an organizations choice as to where a woman delivers . . . if she chooses a hospital, home assisted or unassisted, that is her personal choice. There are risks to both, but so many more benefits IMO to birthing at home. I need to add this to my blog - I'm sickened about routine regulation in regards to my body and something as natural as giving birth!
It is an outrage for the AMA to try to dictate where we must give birth! What next? Are they going to tell us where we have to die?
Where are the statistics to back up their idea? All credible scientific data shows that homebirth with well trained attendants, are actually safer than OB's for low risk women.
If they are truly interested in promoting maternal/infant safety, they should look at the fact that the US is ranked 24th (in maternal/newborn mortality/morbidity) among industialized countries. In other words, it is safer to have a baby in 23 other counties than it is here. This is with 99% of all births nationwide already occuring in the hospital. We have one of the highest rates of medical intervention in the world.
This recent statement only reminds us that the AMA is, after all, a trade association dedicated to protecting their own financial "turf" and power. Birth is safe - interference is risky. The people who make the decision have to be the ones with the most to lose or gain - parents, NOT the AMA.
Don't know if you've seen this petition yet. :o)
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/birthathome/signatures.html
Post a Comment