Maternal Mortality Rates Rising

"New Study Shows More Women are Dying After Childbirth, but Most Deaths are Preventable"

Full Text Here

According to the World Health Organization, the U.S. ranks behind more than 40 other countries when it comes to maternal death rates, with 11 deaths per 100,000 pregnancies when measured in 2005. More women die in the U.S. after giving birth than die in countries including Poland, Croatia, Italy and Canada, to name a few.

My first instinct is to loudly shout, "I told you so!!!", but I am going to refrain. At least for the moment.

The popularity of scheduled C-sections has also been cited by public health experts as a possible cause for rising maternal mortality rates. The latest data from the CDC shows that 31 percent of the mothers now choose to have C-sections, up 50 percent since 1996. Studies have repeatedly shown a higher rate of mortality in mothers who have a C-section delivery, especially those who have multiple C-sections. "If the risks of a Cesarean birth are small, they're magnified greatly when you add many more Cesarean births each year," said Main, adding that "not that many women actually choose to have an elective C-section at the beginning, but it's easy to fall into a pattern of care that ends up resulting in a C-section."

I'm really biting my tongue now. I mean, HELLO!!!!!! Where have the doctors been when the natural birth advocates are shouting - "NO, it's not JUST about OUR experience... it's about safety!"

And, it drives me crazy - because they aren't looking at ways to REDUCE the underlying cause - the cesarean - they are looking for better ways to warn and treat mothers AFTER they have the cesarean. While this is important, this DOES NOT solve the problem... or even ATTEMPT to solve the problem.

Essentially we're saying - "Hey, I know that your risk of dying is higher if you have this completely unnecessary elective cesarean, and even more so if you decide you want more children... but we'll just put some compression boots on your legs and let you know that if you feel funny, you should tell someone... and that will make it all better."

BULL!

Cesarean surgery is associated with 33 serious complications – a number 8 times greater that the risks of vaginal birth.

In comparison with vaginal birth, a cesarean increased harm due to:

- Death, related to surgery or anesthesia (rare)
- Emergency hysterectomy
- Blood clots and stroke
- Injuries from surgery
- Longer hospitalization
- Rehospitalization
- Infection
- Severe and long-lasting pain
- Ongoing pelvic pain
- Bowel obstruction (due to scar tissue and adhesions)

In comparison with cesarean, vaginal birth (both spontaneous and assisted with vacuum or forceps) increased harms due to:

- Perineal pain
- Any urinary incontinence
- Any bowel incontinence

The risk of maternal death 3 to 5 times greater during or after operative delivery.

We should be focusing on the cesarean rate, the induction rate, the rate of routine and unnecessary interventions to the normal labor and birth process...

But, now I'm moving on to a completely NEW post, and I will save that for later.

Induction Increases Cesarean Rate

REALLY? No... You must be joking.

Ok, so enough of my sarcasm and on with the facts...

To start with, here is the full text of the article.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) May 15 - Elective induction of labor significantly shortens the active phase - by an hour, on average - but nearly doubles the risk of cesarean section, researchers report in the May issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Did you get that, one hour. You are shortening your active labor time by one hour, and in return, you're doubling your chances of getting major abdominal surgery. What is the draw here?

Forgive me, I'm feeling annoyed about our skyrocketing induction and c-section rates. No, make that ANGRY.

With all this hot-air about health care reform and lowering health care costs... what on earth are we letting happen in Maternity Care? No matter how many studies are done, no matter the results.. nothing is changing. Studies have shown over and over that modern obstetrical protocols are causing more c-sections, more deaths and more bad outcomes than the traditional methods that midwives use.

This is NOT rocket-science people. Why is it so hard for us to understand that a c-section is not a minor, no-big-deal procedure? When are we going to start telling women openly , honestly that c-sections are major surgeries, with major risks, both for the current and in the future when that same woman gets pregnant again, and maybe again after that?

The induction rate MUST be addressed. It's insane for this many women to be consenting to inductions that are completely unnecessary.

You can wait another 2 weeks for your baby to be born. They will be healthier for it, and so will you... and so will the rest of the babies you have.

Tell me, which looks like more fun?

THIS ONE

OR

THIS ONE

Ok, rant done. Go ahead - call me the EVIL, ANTI-INDUCTION DOULA.

Just for FUN...

Jill at the Unnecesarean is having a contest! So, just for fun, I thought I'd throw in an entry.

When VBAC, meets CBAC...

VBAC = Vaginal Birth after Cesarean
HBAC = Home Birth after Cesarean
WBAC = Water Birth after Cesarean
CBAC = Cesarean Birth after Cesarean

For every woman there is an end to pregnancy. Yes, even for those women who's OB's told them they really would stay pregnant forever if they didn't do X, Y or Z. It's an exciting time, anxiously awaiting the impending birth of their new baby.

But, for a VBAC mom, the end of a pregnancy can be bittersweet. There is endless preparation, reading, praying, hoping and dreaming of the long awaited birth. Will they be able to accomplish this? Are they really broken?

If it ends in another cesarean, what is left of that mom? Peace? Emptiness? Gratitude? Pain? Just another scar?

The nationwide VBAC success rate is around 20 percent. But, if you look more closely, you will find better odds. A VBAC mom who is under the care of a practitioner who regards VBAC as no riskier than any other delivery and chooses to deliver in a setting that does not consider VBAC women "high risk,", her success rate is more like 75-90 percent.

So, what does a VBAC turned CBAC mom do?
- Recognize, honor and accept the feelings of loss or sadness if they are present.
- Share your story and feelings with other CBAC mom's.
- Above all, love yourself and your baby.
- Get help if you need it.