New Leader of Australian Obstetricians Welcomes Government’s New Maternity Plans With a But…

For further information, contact Melissa Maimann at Essential Birth Consulting.

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Australia’s peak group of specialist obstetricians and gynaecologists today pledged to work with the Federal Government on the introduction of legislation that promotes the role midwives play in assisting specialist doctors in delivering healthy babies.

The new President of the National Association of Specialist Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (NASOG), Dr Hilary Joyce said that specialist doctors want to support the work of good midwives in hospitals and within collaborative practices.

“A strong collaborative model of patient care will ensure the safest and most equitable access to treatment for every Australian woman and her baby, and continue Australia’s marvelous obstetric safety record” said Dr Joyce.

However, Dr Joyce said that Australian women and their babies would fare even better if the Government also overturned a proposed budget measure that will adversely impact on every woman who seeks choice, access and affordability for her pregnancy care.

Dr Joyce said enhancing the ability of obstetricians and midwives to work together via the Medicare Benefits Schedule may be appropriate but any positive outcomes for mothers and their babies could be undermined by the proposed winding back of the obstetric safety net for patients.

“If this increased financial burden means women can no longer afford private obstetric care, they will inevitably be forced to go over to the public hospital maternity services which are already overwhelmed and barely coping with the increased birth rate of the last five years,” Dr Joyce said.

… NASOG applauds the Government announcement that it will not endorse midwives practising alone outside clinical settings

Excuse me while I vomit. Seriously. Private obstetric care should be funded, even though only 20% women actually need it. Private midwifery care (homebirth) – the sort of care that about 80% women could have – should not be funded?? This doctor opposes legislatory changes that reduce choice for obstetric care, yet in the same breath, she applauds changes that reduce choice for midwifery care.

Melissa Maimann, Essential Birth Consulting 0400 418 448

Tags: Birth choices, continuity of care, hospital birth, intervention, Maternity Services Review, midwife, Midwifery, Midwifery services, Obstetrics, Public and private hospitals, women's rights

Newborn Weights Affected By Environmental Contaminants

For further information, contact Melissa Maimann at Essential Birth Consulting.

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Recent epidemiological studies have revealed an increase in the frequency of genital malformations in male newborns (e.g., un-descended testes) and a decrease in male fertility.

The role played by the growing presence in our environment of contaminants that reduce male hormone action could explain this phenomenon.

… the birth weight of males is higher than that of females due to the action of male hormones on the male fetus. If the exposure of pregnant women to environmental contaminants that diminish the action of male hormones has increased over the years, one would expect to see a decrease in the sex difference in birth weight.

This is exactly what a new study … shows …

… the investigators effectively show a sustained decrease in birth weight differences between boys and girls, which supports the hypothesis of growing endocrine disruption related to environmental contaminants …

“Our study underlines the importance of probing the impact of environmental contaminants on the health of mothers and fetuses and on the reproductive potential of future generations,” …

Melissa Maimann, Essential Birth Consulting 0400 418 448

Tags: Babies