"I lived for these occasional women, the ones who were different, who thrived on the challenge and the passion. The women who wanted to sigh and moan and deep-breathe through their labors, to move around in the bed, to squeeze my hands and look into my eyes. They pressed their sweaty forehead into mine as they hissed in and out between clenched teeth - and I hissed along with them, pulling the curtains to keep the world away. I shut the doors and tried to keep them quiet, to shield them until it was too late for intervention. Too late for anyone to steal their births from them. These were the ones who touched my heart and fed my fire."
An excerpt from Baby Catcher, Chronicles of a Modern Midwife
by Peggy Vincent
A beautiful book found me this weekend. I happened to be half-browsing the childbirth/parenting section of Barnes and Noble while trying to corral a very quick and inquisitive toddler from ridding the shelves of their books, when I glimpsed the title "Baby Catcher". A peek to the cover revealed a quote from Ms. Anne Lamott, a talented author and dear motherhood connection. That was all the motivation I needed for a purchase decision as I continued to follow BabyBoy through the maze of shelves and around book store patrons. I've made it through the first chapter, with tears and veins full of adrenoline, and I cannot WAIT to experience the rest. I already have so much from it that I want to share here.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Economics of Midwifery
Since, as they say, "money talks"...
1. Percent of countries providing universal prenatal care that have lower infant mortality rates than the United States: 100%
2. Percent of US births attended by midwives: 4%
3. Percent of European births attended by midwives: 75%
4. Number of European countries (Great Britain, France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland) with higher perinatal mortality rates than the US: 0
5. Average cost of midwife-attended birth in the US: $1,200
6. Average cost of physician-attended birth in US: $4,200
7. Health care cost savings if midwifery care were utilized for 75% of US births: $8.5 billion/year
8. Health care cost savings by bringing US cesarean section rate into compliance with WHO recommendations: $1.5 billion/year
9. Health care cost savings by extending midwifery care and de-medicalizing births in the US: $13-20 billion/year
Compiled by Marsden Wagner, MD, Consultant for World Health Organization
reprinted in "Baby Catcher" by Peggy Vincent with permission
Essentially...midwives are one of this country's great untapped resources. They are skilled in the beautiful, normal, and natural process of childbirth. They know, that of all the ways they can assist in birth, the most important is to allow a mother to be free to follow and express their own primitive rhythms during the process. Midwives facilitate SAFE and PURE childbirth.
Of course there is so much more to say, but this blog will be an advocate for CHOICE in CHILDBIRTH and educating men and women about the true possibility for gentle, peaceful, un-interfered-with birth.
1. Percent of countries providing universal prenatal care that have lower infant mortality rates than the United States: 100%
2. Percent of US births attended by midwives: 4%
3. Percent of European births attended by midwives: 75%
4. Number of European countries (Great Britain, France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland) with higher perinatal mortality rates than the US: 0
5. Average cost of midwife-attended birth in the US: $1,200
6. Average cost of physician-attended birth in US: $4,200
7. Health care cost savings if midwifery care were utilized for 75% of US births: $8.5 billion/year
8. Health care cost savings by bringing US cesarean section rate into compliance with WHO recommendations: $1.5 billion/year
9. Health care cost savings by extending midwifery care and de-medicalizing births in the US: $13-20 billion/year
Compiled by Marsden Wagner, MD, Consultant for World Health Organization
reprinted in "Baby Catcher" by Peggy Vincent with permission
Essentially...midwives are one of this country's great untapped resources. They are skilled in the beautiful, normal, and natural process of childbirth. They know, that of all the ways they can assist in birth, the most important is to allow a mother to be free to follow and express their own primitive rhythms during the process. Midwives facilitate SAFE and PURE childbirth.
Of course there is so much more to say, but this blog will be an advocate for CHOICE in CHILDBIRTH and educating men and women about the true possibility for gentle, peaceful, un-interfered-with birth.
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