Research and resources for perinatal professionals.
November 23, 2021 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, LCCE, FACCE, CD/BDT(DONA), CLE
On November 22, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) released a statement, with regard to this latest CDC Report, and acknowledged that the impact of the COVID-19 infection on pregnant people and their babies is well documented. They urged health care providers who work with pregnant population to continue to continue to counsel people who are pregnant or anyone who is planning to become pregnant about the known risks of COVID-19 to themselves and their unborn child. They also stated that health care providers stress the importance of getting the COVID-19 vaccination series before becoming pregnant, during pregnancy and continuing into the postpartum time.
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November 19, 2021 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, LCCE, FACCE, CD/BDT(DONA), CLE
The International MotherBaby Childbirth Organization (IMBCO) and the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) have worked together to create a single global initiative that offers guidance and information in support of maternity care that is safe and respectful. Created in 2018, The International Childbirth Initiative: 12 Steps to Safe and Respectful MotherBaby-Family Centered Maternity Care provides a roadmap and urges providers and facilities worldwide, who offer care to people during the childbearing year, to follow the simple steps to implement best practices that are evidence based and center the parent-baby dyad and optimizes maternal and newborn health. Lamaze International is a signatory for and partner endorsing the International Childbirth Initiative.
November 17, 2021 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
November 17th is World Prematurity Day and the entire month of November is Prematurity Awareness Month in the United States. One in ten babies arrive before 37 weeks. A baby born before 37 weeks is considered a preterm infant and may require additional care and support. As expected, the more premature an infant is, the more assistance they will require after birth. The possibility of long-term adverse health outcomes and life-long disabilities also increases. World Prematurity Day hopes to raise awareness for the challenges of preterm birth and shine a light on the risks and consequences faced by preterm infants and their families worldwide.
November 11, 2021 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, LCCE, FACCE, CD/BDT(DONA), CLE
Dr. Kathleen Kendall-Tackett is a health psychologist and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and the Owner and Editor-in-Chief of Praeclarus Press, a small press specializing in women's health. Praeclarus Press has made some fun posters and infographics on the topics of lactation, doulas, and parenting/lifestyle at no cost to anyone who would like to download them.
November 09, 2021 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, LCCE, FACCE, CD/BDT(DONA), CLE
In the United States, the past decade has seen a considerable increase in wildfires, particularly across the western part of the country. A study titled “Associations between wildfire smoke exposure during pregnancy and risk of preterm birth in California,” published earlier this year in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Research, found that wildfires may have caused more than 7,000 additional preterm births in California in the years 2007-2012. This is more than 3.7% of all the births that occurred prior to 37 weeks during those years. Premature births increase the risk of long term health problems including neurodevelopment delays, respiratory complications, gastrointestinal problems and even death in babies.
November 02, 2021 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
In the United States, the Department of Defense just announced new benefits for military families. Effective January 1, 2022, military personnel and their dependents in the United States and the District of Columbia covered under many TRICARE insurance plans will be eligible to receive care from certified birth doulas, certified lactation consultants and certified lactation counselors. These benefits will be provided as part of the benefits package under TRICARE, an assortment of health care plans available to people in the military. Overseas families will have these benefits made available to them on January 1, 2025.
October 28, 2021 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
This month’s Brilliant Activities for Birth Educators idea suggests an effective and fun way to help pregnant families learn about the baby’s position in utero, and consider ways that their actions and movements can influence those positions. It incorporates an ingenious tool created by Andrea Lythgoe, longtime Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator and easily can be applied to both virtual and in-person classes. For free access to all the Brilliant Activities for Birth educator posts, please follow this link.
October 26, 2021 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
Being pregnant does not reduce the risk of experiencing domestic violence from a partner. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), approximately 324,000 pregnant women are abused each year in the United States (ACOG, 2012). One in six pregnant people experience domestic violence for the first time during a pregnancy. Intimate partner violence can contribute to poor pregnancy weight gain, infection, anemia, tobacco use, stillbirth, pelvic fracture, placental abruption, fetal injury, preterm delivery, and low birth weight.
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.
October 15, 2021 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, LCCE, FACCE, CD/BDT(DONA), CLE
October is Perinatal and Infant Loss Awareness Month in the United States and today, October 15th is World Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. Miscarriage, stillbirth and infant loss has most likely touched all of us in one way or another, both professionally or personally or often both. In honor of the babies born too early, born still or who passed away after birth, people are asked to light a candle and burn it for an hour at 7 PM local time on October 15th as a way to spread light across the globe and inform, grieving families that they and their children remembered. Have you considered participating and inviting others to do the same.
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