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AUSER on 11/10/2006 10:35:56 AM |
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ACOG statement |
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Any comments, Henci?
maria.
ACOG Statement of Policy
As issued by the ACOG Executive Board
OUT-OF-HOSPITAL BIRTHS IN THE UNITED STATES
Labor and delivery is a physiologic process that most women experience
without complications. Ongoing surveillance of the mother and fetus is
essential because serious intrapartum complications may arise with little or
no warning, even in low risk pregnancies. In some of these instances, the
availability of expertise and interventions on .an urgent or emergent basis
may be life-saving for the mother, the fetus or the newborn and may reduce
the likelihood of an adverse outcome. For these reasons, the American
College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) believes that the
hospital, including a birthing center within a hospital complex, that
conforms to the standards outlined by American Academy of Pediatrics and
ACOG,1 is the safest setting for labor, delivery, and the immediate
postpartum period. ACOG also strongly supports providing conditions that
will improve the birthing experience for women and their families without
compromising safety.
Studies comparing the safety and outcome of U.S. births in the hospital with
those occurring in other settings are limited and have not been
scientifically rigorous. The development of well-designed research studies
of sufficient size, prepared in consultation with obstetric departments and
approved by institutional review boards, might clarify the comparative
safety of births in different settings. Until the results of such studies
are convincing, ACOG strongly opposes out-of-hospital births. Although ACOG
acknowledges a woman's right to make informed decisions regarding her
delivery, ACOG does not support programs or individuals that advocate for or
who provide out-of-hospital births.
1American Academy of Pediatrics and /American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists. Guidelines for Perinatal Care, 5th Edition. Elk Grove
Village, IL, AAP/ACOG, 2002.
Approved by the Executive Board October 2006
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists 409 12th Street, SW,
PO Box 96920. Washington, DC 20090-6920 Telephone 202 6385577
By: maria |
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