Who needs birthing rooms when you can have a c/s?

I read today on a mailing list (that I am on) that Bunbury Regional Hospital was due for an overhaul as they have limited birthing suites with often more birthing women then suites to put them in. Midwives suggested that more rooms be built, the hospitals response was plain and simple:

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"oh we are trying to get our cesarean rate over 70% we wont need more labour ward space."

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The person who this was said to is trying to get something done about it...

I am in shock! I know we all thought it from time to time but to say it outright?

*hugs*
Cailin

:fuming: :shock: that's just plain nasty and if they want to save space its counter productive. They'll save space in the birthing area but they will need extra beds/staff in recovery and have patients staying for longer in the maternity wards who need highere levels of care and more monitering than women who have birthed vaginally. So dumb!!!

Ummm, isn't that bordering on unethical? if I was the person who said that, I'd be treading very very carefully ATM. Can we assume that it was a male saying that ;)

Just suppose this person gets their way and c/s are at 70%, people will start to hear about it and they just won't go there for fear of being made to have one, which in turn will mean that because the service isn't being utilised, they will close it down anyway.

:shock: Holy Crap, so they WANT caesarians?? WTF is that about? I think someone there has gone mental, I can't believe that.

:-k :-k :-k havent heard this.

Jo

OMG, thats disgusting and so wrong. As Sherie has said, surely that would be unethical?!

There is alot of bad crap going down at the moment but I have not been posting as I don't want to deal with the backlash of being accused of Ob bashing, which I am not! But as I always say, you would be appalled if you knew what was going on behind the scenes.

But there is an article in this week's New Idea talking about pro's of a caesarean written by a doctor - choose baby's date, dad can be there, it's quick... it does talk of negs but not many. It also says that around 80% of Ob/Gyns are opting for caesars over vaginal birth and goes on about vaginal birth offering tearing, lots of pain, etc... it's disgraceful. It just makes me realise how far we have to go in the big scheme of things, with Obs and doctors selling caesars as a neat little package. I think they are all scared of birth as they see what 'goes wrong' on a daily basis because if you do one intervention you almost always need another to fix it up.

I'm going to be having talks with a lovely Obstetrician and hopefully do some work with him, I think it will make a huge difference if I can have him backing up what I say, I think medical education makes it all that more believable for some.

That's all I will say.

I read that new idea thing, as you know Kel ;) And I couldn't believe it. It's like a lot of them, not all, don't want to do the hard yards, whatever makes it easier for them and that sucks balls. What the hell do they get paid all that money for if they aren't willing to go the distance with you? OB's like that need a good kick in the pants.

Good luck with chatting to the OB, I hope he will back you up :D

Here's the article:

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Birth Choices - this week's NI

Should you have a caesarean or is a natural birth better? Studies show 80 per cent of gynaecologists opt for a caesarean, according to Brisbane gynaecologist Dr Gino Pecoraro.

The upside of a C-section is its quick and you can choose the delivery time, which can make it easier for your husband to be with you.

The downside is there's more risk to the mother, due to blood clots, infection and also a risk of DVT (deep vein thrombosis).

"Generally, the procedure is very safe", Dr Pecoraro says. "In Australia, only one in 10,000 women die through childbirth, with these figures somewhat higher for caesarean births.

"While the upsides of a natural birth mean no scarring, the downside includes risks of uncontrolled tearing, a long and painful labour and sometimes incontinence."

Dr Pecoraro warns there are dangers in having a caesarean for your first birth and then a vaginal delivery for subsequent babies.

"Women whose first birth is a caesarean - as choice or emergency - and then have a second birth vaginally have a slight risk (one in 200) of rupturing the scar on their uterus from the caesarean, which can be fatal".

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If you have any comments:

http://www.newidea.com.au/display.cf...B27A2259069D2A

This is what I have written to them:

To Whom It May Concern

I am quite appalled at your article regarding birth choices in this weeks issue. As I see it, it was simply a poor scare tactic against vaginal births and extremely pro Caesarian. Couldn't you have gotten someone to write a better article that wasn't as biased as Dr Pecoraro towards caesarians? Surely you can do better than that?

Rebecca Pobjie

I am not going to post mine as I suspect it will be a bit out there ;) But thanks for sharing Bec!

No worries. Yeah I would assume yours would be ;) I just thought I'd give my 2 cents, short but sweet.

I actually find that quite scary, like they want to encourage women to have pretty big surgery to give birth.. I guess I dont really know a huge amount about "risks" and stuff involved in vaginal birth... do you know what the caeserian rate is at the hospial now?

Most are around 30%+, one I know of one around 60%+ (and it's in QLD) and apparently places in Thailand are even higher (apparently because they want to be like America?)

Not being shy of controvertial issues, I have to say OMG. I'm far from being anti C/S and would have one in a heartbeat if it was absolutely neccessary. But I have to wonder with the push for more C/S at hospitals by some OB's will this mean they will lose there skill and technique with Vaginal Births and can we trust them to deliver our babies. We have seen this happen already with Breech Births, in that most Dr's are too scared to allow women to birth naturally. As they are too scared of being sued. And have lost the skill. I do note the extra care needed but lets face it they used to deliver breeches all the time, but with everything there is a risk and it only takes one law suit to change the industry. I say give those OB's the C/S's and give midwifery back to the midwives.
In these days and times most workplaces are very willing to allow men paternity leave so that they can be with their wives/partners for the birth. Like anything it takes planning and being ready for when it's about to happen. My husband is an Electrician who works Km's underground and he hasn't missed a birth yet.(lucky for him, lol)

Why do people always seem to follow suit with America, there are plenty of other countries, hello we're one of them!!

I jsut can't believe this - is HAS to be unethical. It is bad enough to be induced because the doctor plays golf on Wednesdays!

My friend works in admin at a private hospital in Brisbane and she has told me the caesarian rate there is about 70%, based on the hospitals own statistics. It's disgusting and it really disappoints me that a high profile magazine like Newidea would print an article like that. It's hard not to get the impression that some OBs are trying to eradicate vaginal birth altogether.

Bon

Which hospital bon?

Kelly, I have actually read your reply elsewhere on another forum. And while yes it is a bit "out there" you certainly get your message across. Thankyou for posting the article on here as I could not find it. I too will be sending in a reply.

Thankyou also for standing up for the birthing mothers of Australia :)

Kelly it is the Wesley Hospital in Brisbane

Bon

Wowsers!:eek:
I'm moving to the Bunbury area in a couple of weeks and I could hardly believe that response! Bunbury is a huge and rapidly growing regional centre. The stupidity of that comment is simply baffling on soooo many levels.
Do they think I/we don't want a choice?
Do they actualy think it's an economicaly viable suggestion?
Have they looked at the projected growth rates for that region?
Do they think this is in the best intrests of the women and children?
I was really saddened to read this.

It sounds like I might have an up-hill battle on my hands :mad: If they think Im going to lie down and take it (pun intended) they've got another thing coming! GGRRrrr Im not going to travel an hour just to get shoved into an opperating theatre!
Bring on the independant midwives and doulas!
Sorry about my rant... I'm furious!

Guys i am just disgusted by what i have heard!!!!!! One of my girlfriends had 2 kids and had elective cesereans she said she couldn't deal with a vaginal birth i said why not, she said oh its just so much easier!!!! How wrong is she and how wrong are the OBS pushing a C section cause it suits them!!!! I am so glad i fund a OBS who is pro Vaginal does not push cesereans unless it's necessary,even when my first child went into distress because he had to be induced ( 14 days over and no sign of impending labour) they just carefully monitored him they got me ready incase i needed a cesar but they said it's last resort!!!! Why would anyone prefer to be operated on the have a vaginal birth which ofcourse is hard but when it's over it's over unlike cesareans!!!

There is certainly a place for caesarians, they can be life saving in some cases but I don't see how a hospital could justify a 70% c/s rate...But then each to their own. If someone chooses to have a c/s for their own personal reasons that is their business. Many women make the decision for various reasons and after much thought. But it worries me to think that there are places where OBs are trying to take away that choice and are just presenting c/s as the only 'safe' way to give birth, which is simply not the case.

Bon

I just keep getting shocked that they push c/s as an "easy" alternative to birth. My recovery was far from "easy" and yet I have had a fantastic recovery compared to others I know. I can't for the life of me understand how a major abdominal surgery could be "easy". I had an emergency c/s and am going to have a VBAC this time around, but if something happened & it was necessary I would go through with a c/s if it was the only option. ONLY option, not one of many...

Kelly,

I've been looking into the NZ system lately and am wondering if there is a lower c/s rate over here? Reason why I am wondering is that most women over here have a midwife with them throughout their pregnancy and for the birth. Not very many people use obs at all, only if they have a problem pregnancy or issues.

Do you have any comparison stats?

Thanks! :)

Gosh I remember this, all the stuff you find when you are sorting out forums!!!

I still can't believe it Kel!
I did write to NI and got a response, when I responded again the author went strangely stilent.....remember that one??? Grrrrr Even my mum wrote to them.

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I say give those OB's the C/S's and give midwifery back to the midwives.

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Absolutely. Medicare Provider Numbers for midwives is a key way o give midwifery back to midwives. Then Aussie women will have a choice between two models of care. This will go a long way to stemming the tide of needless c/s, so we don't become a caesarian culture like USA, Brazil etc., and help preserve those key midwifery skills. Provider numbers would place value on midwives and midwifery skills. Also - government-funded homebirth. Not that necessarily more women would choose homebirth (they might) but if it Govt. funded, it helps key skills be maintained and preserved, which improves services for all women.

1. Provider numbers for midwives
2. Govt. funded homebirth as an option on the menu

That's where I want to see the focus and the money spent.

:(:wall:what is wrong with the world:( This is the begining of new lives we are talking about. It makes me so sad and angry. Why would anyone want to start a life in such a traumatic situation (please note i'm not against life-saving c/s!). :(