Ilithyia Inspired Birth Servant: 20 Australian mums die after birthing ...

But mothers dying after planned hospital births is not news. The tragic death of 1 Australian mother after her homebirth, however, has made headlines. The media's coverage of the story has been as expected. In one article it is reported that the mother "died while giving birth to her daughter at her Melbourne home" (The Age), while another reports "Mum held baby before death" (Herald Sun) in its title.? The media has used this tragedy to stir the pot that never quite cooled: Australia's maternity services debate. Even shameless/shameful international bloggers with a long history of anti-homebirth propaganda have used this family's heartache for blog fodder (which shall not be linked to here!). Joy Johnson blogged eloquently at the Midwives Victoria blog:

"This is not the time to argue the safety of home birth.? The sympathy of every midwife and every person who cares about working for better births is with this family, the midwives who attended the birth, and all the health service personnel and paramedics who provided care to a woman and her family in her last hours."

Obstetricians and the journalists who quote them have urged Australians to consider birth an inherently dangerous undertaking and homebirth a particularly risky birth choice. The Herald Sun claimed that 50% of all homebirths end in hospital transfer, but thankfully a spokesperson for Homebirth Australia hit back at the factually incorrect statistics and 'illogical' assertions printed in the past two days. Michelle Meares states:

"The call for a ban on home births in yesterday's Herald Sun because of one maternal death in 20 years is completely illogical. About 20 women died in Australian hospitals in childbirth last year -- should we ban hospital births, too?

In Australia our maternal mortality rate is one of the lowest in the world at 8.4 in every 100,000 women. The latest statistics, from 2003-05, show only 65 maternal deaths occurred in Australia. None of these were related to home births...

The Herald Sun reported the transfer rates at a home birth are 50 per cent -- the transfer rate for private midwives is actually from 10-20 per cent. The majority of transfers occur before labour or when there is slow progress in the labour." (Full version here)

Regardless of the place of birth, the death of a mother or baby is a tragedy. I would like to believe that whomever the mother is birthing with, that care provider does everything within her or his power to achieve a healthy outcome for all. I know this to be true in the case of independent midwives attending homebirths. I don't believe that any grieving family should be the target of a media frenzy, but sadly the Australian media and public (not to mention those international bloggers!) do not believe in the rights of privacy or respect for those in mourning when it comes to homebirth families. It is ghoulish. I hold a sliver of hope that perhaps people might take from this weeks media that twenty mothers died after birthing in hospital last year and that something might be done about this. Wouldn't it be wonderful if some attention were given to this pressing matter, hospitals forced to practice evidence based midwifery and medicine in every maternity ward so that hospital birth might one day be as safe as homebirth. I leave you with Homebirth Australia's media release:

MEDIA RELEASE FROM HOMEBIRTH AUSTRALIA
February 1 2012
In the wake of the recent death of a woman in Victoria, many parents around Australia today will be feeling sorrow for Caroline Lovell's tragic death and sadness for the family she has left behind. Her death following her planned home birth was the first incident of a mother dying directly related to a home birth in Australia since 1999 as reported by Australian government data.1? ?The call for a ban on home births in yesterday's Herald Sun because of one maternal death since 1999 is completely illogical. Sadly many women died in Australian hospitals in childbirth last year - should we ban hospital births, too?? Michelle Meares, Homebirth Australia spokesperson said.??? ???
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In Australia our maternal mortality rate is one of the lowest in the world at 8.4 in every 100,000 women. The latest statistics, from 2003-05, show only 65 maternal deaths occurred in Australia. None of these were related to home births.???
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?Home births have consistently been proved to be safe. Large international studies, including a Dutch study with over 500 000 women show there is no increase in deaths of mothers or babies when women birth at home with a midwife.???????????????? ???
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?Many studies show women who have a planned home birth have fewer interventions, including epidurals and inductions, and use of forceps, vacuum extraction or caesarean births, Homebirthing mothers and babies are less likely to experience the complications associated with these procedures, including the significantly increased risk of death and severe complications for both that follows a cesarean birth. Homebirthing mothers and babies are less likely to experience the complications associated with these procedures, including the significantly increased risk of death and severe complications for both that follows a cesarean birth.?

More and more families are choosing to have a home birth in Australia, with a 33 per cent increase between 2004 and 2009. In the US, they've just recorded the highest rate of home births ever, with a 30 per cent rise in home births in the same period.??? ? ???
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?The choice about where to give birth belongs with a woman and her family. Parents have the right to make decisions about their children -- what they eat, where they go to school and also where they give birth. To suggest that right should be taken away is ridiculous in today's democratic society,? Ms Meares said.???
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?The private midwives who attend homebirths are highly trained professionals who carry equipment for dealing with medical emergencies. Women who opt to birth at home choose to do so because they've decided that it's the safest place for their babies and themselves. Women choose a home birth because they want to give birth in the comfort of their home, with a midwife they know and trust. They want their families to be with them and they want to be in control of the experience.???
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?Caroline has been reported as being a homebirth advocate. When there was a threat to homebirths due to the Federal Government?s new midwifery legislation in 2009, Caroline responded the way thousands of women around the country did by sending submissions to a Senate Inquiry which have been reported in the media. ??? ???
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?Despite the Federal Government?s announcements around the National Maternity Services Plan in November 2011, planned homebirth has yet to be properly funded or supported.???
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?In the UK, where 22% of women reported that they would prefer a homebirth, the government has made a pledge to ensure that all women have the option of a homebirth, Australian women deserve the same?, Ms Meares said.? ??? ???
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In 2009, there were 863 planned homebirths, representing 0.3% of all women who gave birth. The average age of women who choose a homebirth is 31.7 years, 75% are having their second or subsequent baby and 58.6% of homebirths occur in major cities. According to Dr Sarah Buckley, mother of four homeborn children, former GP and now writer on pregnancy, birth and parenting:? ?Homebirth is a safe option with significant advantages for mothers and babies. The extremely low need for intervention that happens when women feel private and safe in their own home, is reflected in lower rates of complications, including prematurity, low birth weight, infections, lacerations, post-partum haemorrhage and retained placenta, International studies support the safety of planned homebirth for healthy mothers
and babies.?
For further information: Jo Scard? 0457 725 953
(Report on Maternal Deaths in Australia, 1997-1999. ? http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=6442467619)
(Report on Maternal Deaths in Australia, 2003-2005.? http://www.aihw.gov.au/media-release-detail/?id=6442464747)

Source: http://www.ilithyiainspired.com/2012/02/20-australian-mums-die-after-birthing.html

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