Research and resources for perinatal professionals.
December 14, 2021 | by: Tanya Cawthorne
A few weeks ago, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) published their annual Australia’s Mothers and Baby Report. The report is a collection of national perinatal data from the previous two years, which in effect means that the 2021 report contains 2019 data, and therefore we are yet to see the full impact of COVID-19 on birth outcomes.
Anecdotally, many birth professionals (midwives, doulas, and childbirth educators in particular) have noted with concern a significant increase in birth interventions - particularly induction of labour, episiotomy, instrumental birth (vacuum and forceps delivery) and cesarean section - with little to no improvement in birth outcomes. The data now backs up what we all suspected was happening and this is not good news for birthing people in Australia.
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October 21, 2021 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, LCCE, FACCE, CD/BDT(DONA), CLE
The number of cesarean deliveries in the United States has hovered around 32% in the past decade. Cesarean birth is easily documented and the numbers are a benchmark for birth outcomes and best practice. Cesarean delivery by maternal request (CDMR), on the other hand, is very hard to quantify. It is hard to capture exactly how many cesareans are performed at the request of the pregnant parent. Difficulties in estimating the prevalence of CDMR has been attributed to the lack of an International Classification of Diseases (ICD) code for CDMR and to documentation inconsistencies that are recorded.
July 30, 2019 | by: Henci Goer, BA
“To VBAC or not to VBAC” continues to be the question. “Mode of delivery after a previous cesarean birth, and associated maternal and neonatal morbidity,” a recent analysis of Canadian national data between 2003 and 2014, compared maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity after planned vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC ) versus repeat cesarean and concluded (Young 2018): “Although absolute rates of adverse outcomes are low, attempted vaginal birth after cesarean delivery continues to be associated with higher relative rates of severe morbidity and mortality in mothers and infants.” However, things aren’t always as they appear to be at first glance. Let’s take a closer look.
July 23, 2018 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, LCCE, FACCE, CD/BDT(DONA), CLE
Lamaze International has a multitude of resources for doulas to share with their birth and postpartum clients who are looking for evidenced-based information from a respected source. Check out all that Lamaze has to offer you and your clients.
July 06, 2017 | by: Cara Terreri, CD (DONA), LCCE
Second Chance: A Mother's Quest for a Natural Birth After Cesarean by Thais Nye Derich is primarily a book about self-discovery through the passage of births and a typical experience in today's US maternity care system. Cara Terreri reviews this book for educators and other birth professionals.
January 03, 2017 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, LCCE, FACCE, CD/BDT(DONA), CLE
An External Cephalic Version (ECV) is one option open to people whose babies are breech. However, if a person has had a prior cesarean, they may be told that this is not an option for them. The evidence does not support excluding those with a prior cesarean from an ECV.
April 28, 2016 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, LCCE, FACCE, CD/BDT(DONA), CLE
As April comes to a close, so does Cesarean Awareness Month. Science & Sensibility rounds up a plethora of Cesarean and VBAC resources for birth professionals to have handy at their fingertips for students and clients. Are you familiar with all of these useful sources for evidence based info?
January 04, 2016 | by: Henci Goer, BA
Last week, a new study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine titled Planned out-of-hospital birth and birth outcomes. This study looked at the safety of home birth using Oregon State birth certificate data and once again brought up the unclear debate on the safety of home birth.
November 10, 2014 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, LCCE, FACCE, CD/BDT(DONA), CLE
The Lamaze International Strategic Framework 2014-2017 that resulted from in-depth strategic planning meetings held earlier this year with the Board of Director and Lamaze Management resulted in many forward thinking, comprehensive and courageous goals, including plans to "innovate education and exp
April 28, 2014 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, LCCE, FACCE, CD/BDT(DONA), CLE
© Andrea Lythgoe As Cesarean Awareness Month (April 2014) comes to a close, I wanted to share ten things that childbirth educators can do in their childbirth classes to support families to avoid unneeded cesareans, help families to have a cesarean birth that is respectful and family centered and su
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