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Comments for Push for More Regulation of Midwifery
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Sure… just roll those dice without a doctor around at such a crucial time and see what happens.
If this is a credentialed and licensed birth center, it sounds like they went out of policy & protocol. From the above, it sounds like there would had been time to transport to a hospital for birth. But really struggle with OB's who do not INTENTIONALLY attend breech birth. It is called informed consent, choice and then informed refusal.
I live in Florida and I had my son 31 years ago by a mid wife. You don't have that big hospital bill to pay. After my son was born, the next day the mid wife came and we went to the doctor and the doctor examined my son and me and said he and I was o'kay. If you go this route there are risk. You need to do research before you even get pregnant, you need to be informed. Your pregnancy needs to be normal. I went to the doctor for check ups. Luckly, Joseph was healthy and nothing went wrong.
Whether a couple decides to have thier baby at home, at a birthing center or a hospital, there are risks involved, the parents are made aware of these risks and make thier choice as to where to deliver. I chose to have all 4 of mine at home with a certified professional midwife, all of which had wonderful outcomes, and I am now an aspiring midwife myself. This story is tragic, but should not be used against midwives that are not certified nurse midwives, most all midwives follow a certain standard of care and do not take high risk mothers as clients. Midwifery/homebirth is a wonderful option for mothers who do not want a hospital birth and who has a healthy pregnancy, and should not be viewed as an irresponsible or unsafe option. Midwives are trained professionals (even if that training does not have a degree to follow it) and know what they are doing.
I'm completely baffled about the lax regulations of midwifery in the US. In Europe, where I live, the minimum qualification for a midwife equals a CNM. ALL midwives are licensed. ALL midwives are required to carry malpractice insurance. How a first world country like the US can allow unlicensed amateurs (=CPMs)without malpractice insurance to practice and has NO nationwide, narrow, legally binding criteria for transfer....allowing tradgedies like this one to happen....how can they care about the safety of their kids SO little? Note: I believe a lot of parents that choose unlicensed CPMs and homebirths / birth centre births are simply NOT aware of the risk, as was the case here. I think it's lax, uncaring legislation that has to shoulder the blame here.