(from my inbox - republished here verbatim.)
As you probably know, the Cesarean section rate has been increasing steadily
since 1996 and now is the highest it has ever been – 26.1% in 2002. Some
experts predict it could rise to 50% in the next decade if the dramatic increase
we’ve seen in the last several years continues. Cesarean surgery can be
life-saving; however almost half, and some say as many as two thirds, of all
Cesareans performed in the U.S. are unnecessary.
Midwifery: April 2004 Archives
After abortion has first person coverage on the march for death.
A great set of musings based on a recent Discover magazine article , from Mark at Vociferous Yawpings.
Fearful mom-to-be wants a C-section
Is anxiety about giving birth a good enough reason to have a Cesarian delivery?
You guys know that I have no issue with the truly needed cesareans, or even with some that might be a little questionable but are done after other things have been tried. But this I just don't understand.
C-sections on demand are rising fast
(despite the fact that according to)
The Maternity Center Association, a pregnancy advocacy group, released an analysis last week of 300 previous studies and concluded that having a C-section increases the chances of infection, pain, rehospitalization and breast-feeding problems. C-sections also increase the potential for problems in future pregnancies....
Crash Kills Man Moments After Son Is Born in Car
A good argument for staying home. Actually, I tell families that if it looks like the baby is coming, STOP the car and get off the road!
Birth story is up at The Edge of the Precipice.
All I can say is, there is a time and a place for modern technology, and this was it.
Channel 4 to screen graphic film of abortion
I have very mixed feelings about this.
Kevin Miller blogs about a disturbing practice. Women whose babies have 'anomalies incompatable with life' are being offered the option of having labor induced at extremely preterm gestational ages in some Catholic hospitals. These babies are then allowed to die from not only their lethal anomalies, but also their extreme prematurity.
Many do not consider this to be induced abortion. I think that they are wrong in that opinion. Let's look at the dictionary definition of abortion (from Dictionary.com).
Continue reading Medical Ethics in a Catholic Hospital.
update on Jade
Jennifer had to take Jade back again to the hospital this morning because she is worse. (Read the post below for what happened prior to that if I missed sending it to you). She has so many red spots her whole back is scarlet. It can be a reaction to the Rocephin because many people who have a PCN and/or amoxicillin/ampicillin allergy also can have a reaction to Rocephin and other cephalasporins (a class of drugs). I warned Jen it could happen after she told me what they did, but apparently the hospital didn't think it was an important enough detail to tell her themselves.
As always, your thoughts and prayers are appreciated.
(Prior message)
They kept her several hrs, were going to do a central line, but D refused, so they gave her two Rocephin shots and decided she must have an amoxicillin allergy. They did manage to get some blood from a heel stick, but didn't do any cultures. Her fever went away with the feeding tube hydration. Jen is still worried because Jade is breathing funny, but her chest xray was ok. They didn't test for strep (no throat cultures or any other cultures). Jen thinks she has strep throat herself.
from my friend and fellow pro-life midwife Nancy:
Jen(daughter) took Jade (granddaughter) to the DR today and the DR had her take Jade to St. Joes Emergency room. She hasn't called yet, so we don't know what is going on for sure. Jade was having trouble breathing and had spots all over her body. She's been on antibiotics the past week for an ear infection
please say a few prayers for Jade (and Jen, she's been having a hard time lately and is pregnant, so hopefully whatever Jade has won't hurt Jen or the baby)
**********
Jade was born with some pretty severe health problems as well.
Times Against Humanity - O tempora, o mores! points out this article about non-medical use of prenatal ultrasound imaging.
The author is a pro-life, NFP only doctor. She points out that images like those produced by this technology give the lie to many of the pro-abortion statements like those that describe a first trimester baby as "a lump of tissue only potentially human".
Still, I have some reservations about the widespread use of any imaging technology. I already have patients who want US mainly to know gender. I also know how stressed out parents get when an US shows a potential problem, even those that turn out to be 'false alarms'. It seems they assume that US is a toy, not a tool.
I am also not as hopeful that seeing the baby will prevent abortion. Already, most abortion clinics do US to date pregnancies so that they can choose the surgical technique. It hasn't seemed to stop the process.
Still, I will wait and see.
