Imagine being free of the things that hold you back. It takes so little effort to let them fall gently away from you.

Flag Counter started April 3, 2008

Ricki Lake, actress, former talk show hostess, and star of “The Business of Being Born” attended the Motherbaby International Film Festival Gala Closing in Traverse City on the first day of MANA 2008.

Here’s my good friend Kelley of the MANA Board (left) and Ricki (right).

Here’s (l-r) Priya, Ricki, BJ, and Abby Epstein, producer of “The Business of Being Born.”

Along with being Cinco de Mayo, May 5th is also the International Day of the Midwife.

Click here to learn more!

Kaiser Daily Women’s Health Policy, Pregnancy & Childbirth, Aug 27, 2007

The maternal mortality rate in the U.S. is the highest it has been in decades, according to statistics released this week by CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, the AP/Washington Post reports. According to the figures, the U.S. maternal mortality rate was 13 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2004. The rate was 12 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2003 — the first year the maternal death rate was more than 10 since 1977 (Stobbe, AP/Washington Post, 8/24). A total of 540 women were reported to have died of maternal causes in 2004, 45 more than were reported in 2003, according to the report (NCHS report, 8/21).

Reasons for Increase
A rise in the number of caesarean sections — which now account for 29% of all births — could be a factor in the increased maternal mortality rate, some experts said. According to a review of maternal deaths in New York, excessive bleeding is one of the primary causes of pregnancy-related death, and women who have undergone several previous c-sections are at particularly high risk of death.

Some studies have found that race and quality of care also factor into the maternal mortality rate. The maternal mortality rate among black women is at least three times higher than among white women. Black women also are more susceptible to hypertension and other complications, and they tend to receive inadequate prenatal care. Three studies have shown that at least 40% of maternal deaths could have been prevented with improved quality of care.

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Jennifer Block, October 15, 2007

I have little Anglo-envy: the rain is dreadful, the beer is flat, and the pound is whooping my dollar’s ass. But in the case of maternity care, I can understand my American friend Jo’s sentiment, “Thank God I’m not trying to do this in the States!” She’s married to a Brit and they’re expecting their first baby at any moment. I’ve crossed the pond for the event, and in the two weeks I’ve been on call, I’ve had a taste of the English way of birth. Of course, the prenatal care, the birth care, and the postpartum care — including daily home visits to help with breastfeeding if needed — are all covered by the taxpayer-funded National Health Service. Another stark difference: midwives run the prenatal clinics and labor wards here. Most women never even see an obstetrician; if they do it’s because there’s a complication or health concern. So when Jo first became pregnant and confirmed it with her general practitioner, he said, “Brilliant! Congrats! Call the midwives!” When Jo went for her first visit to the midwives, and they assessed her as a healthy woman having a normal pregnancy, one of the first questions they asked was, “So, where would you prefer to have your baby — at home or in hospital?”

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The MANA and ICTC Boards during discussion and the closing circle.

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The Combined MANA and ICTC Boards after a great meeting.

I’ve got the best photos posted here from my MANA Baltimore trip! Check them out.

Today we finished the MANA Board meeting and also held the Joint Board meeting between MANA, the North American Registry of Midwives, the Midwifery Education Accreditation Council, the Foundation for the Advancement of Midwifery, Citizens for Midwifery, and the National Association of Certified Professional Midwives. Here’s the group!