Hi Alesa,
Perhaps next time, just cut and paste the relevant section - I find
these loo.......ong bulletins impossible to wade through!
However, I know Debby well and I've done workshops at her hospital.
They have the only birth centre in Israel and are a terrific bunch of
strong women and midwifery advocates.
I am glad she has raised this issue. The thought of this technology
is truly awful and I am sure that women will not want to use it if
they are fully informed. Reminds me of a "gadget" that was tested at
one of the UK's biggest midwifery hospitals a few years ago: it was a
huge belt that was wrapped around the woman's tummy at the start of
second stage and then inflated to "push the baby down" if the woman
couldn't push due to having an epidural. You can imagine how the
midwives felt about having to be part of the trials. As far as I
know, this particular gadget didn't make it to the manufacturing
stage, so perhaps this one that Debby speaks of won't either.
Who dreams up these ideas? Dare I say it - men, probably!
Regards,
Andrea
At 11:17 AM 26/05/2006, you wrote:
Apologies for the long post and even more apologies if this 'FW:' infringes
on normal list etiquette,but I am interested in what others think of the
topic raised by Debby Gedal-Beer in the 'feedback' section.
Personally I beleive this is something that is of interest to the globe
which is my rationale for posting this copy of E Midwifery Today here
Cheers
Alesa
----- Original Message -----
From: "Midwifery Today" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "E-News Subscriber"
Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 9:44 AM
Subject: E-News 8:11 - Postdates Pregnancies (May 24, 2006)
> MIDWIFERY TODAY E-NEWS
> A publication of Midwifery Today, Inc.
> Volume 8, Issue 11, May 24, 2006
> Postdates Pregnancies
> ~~~~
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Feedback
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> A high tech company called Barnev (www.barnev.co.il/) is currently
manufacturing a product called a computerized labor monitoring system. This
product works by placing two clips with electrodes on a laboring woman's
cervix and a scalp electrode on the fetus and using ultrasound waves to
measure cervical dilation and height (descent) of the fetal head. I am aware
of this product because of clinical trials were held at the hospital with
which I am affiliated. In spite of the midwives' opposition to using this
mechanical device on women, we were not able to totally block its use
(although some changes were made in the informed consent, and many women did
not agree to participate due to midwives' explaining to them what was
involved). The trials were moved to other hospitals where the midwives were
not as vocal in their opposition, and now the company is promoting use in
Europe and the US. I understand that they have received or will be receiving
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. The product is being promoted
as a means to assess women's progress in labor without a manual vaginal
examination.
>
> I believe that this product takes advantage of and potentially harms women
and their babies in labor, all for the purpose of economically profiting a
biotech company. I believe that steps need to be taken at a higher level
regarding the ethical considerations.
>
> How do E-News readers suggest that I carry on from here? Can you offer any
support/ideas? I feel that this issue is not only within the midwifery
realm, but takes advantage of women's rights and of women's bodies for
research purposes under the guise of medical treatment. You can contact me
at: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> Debby Gedal-Beer, CNM, MSc.
> Coordinator of Women's Health and Midwifery Education
> Sheba Academic School of Nursing
> Tel Hashomer, Israel
>
> ~~~~
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