Much of my research centers on this very thing. I did interview many women who chose to birth through a private institution with many choosing to be induced or have a caesarean because of issues of control and fear. Whilst your reference is demonstrating what is happening in America- Australia is demonstrating the same patterns. There is even a term for fear of birth "tokophobia". Beyond the many issues that reduce real choice for pregnant and birthing women, this new trend is contributing to a real crisis in childbirth practices in Australia. All I can say is thank God for women who are passionate about caring for other women during pregnancy and childbirth. All of the wonderful work that the women of this site do does help!
Thank you for the article
Take care
Alphia
At 11:26 AM 23/09/2004, you wrote:
Hi,
I know this is based on America, but it seems, similiar attitudes are becoming more common here too.
Love Abby
(P.S. There are three parts to this.)
----- Original Message -----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Thursday, September 23, 2004 11:03 AM
Subject: [BirthRage] controlling delivery pt 1
" Controlling Delivery "
Increasingly, U.S. women choose not to have a conventional birth.
By John Pope
Of New Orleans Times Picayune
When Marilyn Hamilton learned she was pregnant, she was happy - then afraid.
She would have no way of knowing when labor would start, how long it would
last, how painful it would be and how much damage it might inflict on her and her
child.
So she plans to delivery by Cesarean section, even though at 21, she might be
considered healthy enough to withstand a conventional labor and delivery when
she gives birth in January.
" With the Cesarean section, you get a pretty good idea of when its going to
happen and how you're going to feel ," Hamilton said. " I've read up on
Cesarean sections and listened to the side effects, and I can handle that "
Hamilton, of Slidell, La, is one of the growing number of American women who
, doctors say, chose the procedure for a variety of reasons :
* they want to schedule the birth so that they won't have to endure long,
painful hours of labor.
* they are afraid of labor pain
* they are anxious about possible complications of vaginal delivery, such as
incontinence, the risk of infecting the baby and weakening the muscles that
provide support for some organs.
" Over the last two or three years, doctors are hearing more of these
requests, " said Dr. Bruce Flamm of the University of California, Irvine, a
spokesman for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. " We used to
think that a Cesarean section with no medical reason is a silly idea. I'm not so
certain anymore....
" The oddest thing is that I dont know whether anyone knows whether this is
a good or a bad trend . "
In a change from their previous hard-line stance against using the
procesudre without a medical reason, increasing numbers of doctors are acceding to
their patients' wishes.
Though the patient comes first, the doctor clearly benefit from a scheduled
procedures. Even though a Cesarean section is a major abdominal operation,
more women are delivering this way. From 1989 to 2002, the latest statistics
available, the rate of such births rose by nearly 15 percent, from 22.8 percent to
26.1 percent, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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PhD. Candidate
School of Applied and Human Sciences
Bankstown Campus, University of Western Sydney
UWS Locked Bag 1797
South Penrith Distribution Centre
NSW 1797 Australia
Phone: 02 97726628
Fax: 02 97726584
