Re: ACOG statement

From: Meenan, Anna (annam@uic.edu)
Mon Nov 27 18:28:07 2006

I'm with you, Danae. I've always been extremely disappointed at the lack of respect for the midwives' point of view on this list. I have learned a lot over the years from midwives, and using what I've learned has saved lives. The thing that always amazes me is that, even when one of my colleagues sees me use techniques I've learned from midwives and witnesses a successful outcome, many of them tend to be less than respectful of the knowledge. Women would be much better off in the US if midwives and OB's (and FP's) could communicate and work together like they do in much of the rest of the world.

The legal system is definitely the stumbling block, but if OB's were really serious about working with and supporting midwives, it might be possible to put in place legislation protecting receiving hospitals and OB's in all states, not just in Colorado.

Anna Meenan, MD, FAAFP

>I am sorry to hear the tone of some of this discussion. I think
>this is an entirely appropriate forum for this discussion, and a
>timely topic. I do value the input of midwives, and think that all
>of us can benefit by listening to eachother and learning.
>Name-calling is immature and destructive.
>
>I am sorry that ACOG came out with this statement. It flies in the
>face of many studies which have shown that OOH birth for low-risk
>women, and attended by a trained midwife, has very low risks to
>babies (with comparable risks of babies of low-risk mothers born in
>hospitals), and much lower risks to mothers of interventions,
>operative vaginal deliveries, and Cesarean sections.
>
>Doesn't anyone else on this list wonder how midwives get those good
>outcomes? What are they doing in OOH births that we aren't doing in
>the hospital? Obviously, there are lots of diffferences. I wish
>ACOG would focus on getting the best outcome for both mothers and
>babies, no matter where the births take place.
>
>And, I understand fully the risks we M.D.s take when consulting
>for OOH midwives. It would be wonderful to figure out ways to make
>it safe for the doctors to consult when needed. It would also be to
>the benefit of mothers if midwives and physicians could
>talk politely and respectfully to eachother. Who knows, maybe we
>could all learn something in the process.
>
>Contrary to some of the beliefs expressed here, I think that as long
>as women are allowed to make decisions regarding their own health
>care (which will hopefully be forever), some will choose to give
>birth out of the hospital, for a myriad of reasons. I would hope
>that all of us could focus on how to make birth as safe as possible
>for all mothers and all babies.
>
>Danae Steele, M.D.
>MFM
>Green Bay, WI

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