Monday, January 09, 2006

Midwifery Legislative Update - Missouri

Missouri midwifery and homebirth advocates are rallying support for that state's proposed legislation:
Proposed House Bill 974 and Senate Bill 637 describe midwifery as a service and not, as Missouri statute holds, the practice of medicine. Under current law, helping women give birth at home without a Certified Nurse-Midwife license is a Class C felony. Missouri is one of eight states, along with the District of Columbia, that prohibit midwifery in the home.
And here's a great evidence-based statement. Would somebody please give this guy a clue?:

Rep. Jeff Harris, D-Columbia, opposed Davis’ legislation in 2005 and plans to do so again this year. “Given all of the advances in technology, our great physicians, great training and great hospitals, physicians should be delivering babies, and babies should be delivered in hospitals,” Harris said. “It is the safest and best practice.”

So, with all these advances in technology, great physicians, and great hospitals, why does the U.S. still rank # 28 (near the bottom) of industrialized nations in infant mortality rates, while nations where midwives deliver most of the babies rank near the top?

**Updated** 1/10/06 to add this link: Midwifery in Missouri blog

1 comment:

Connie Thompson said...

You see, this is perfect evidence that moronic, self-serving politicians with their archaic beliefs, not a wick of research into the topic and no input from constituents should NEVER be in office. I pray him and others see the unequivocal benefits of midwifery care in a homebirth setting. Have each of these politicians received a copy of the huge 2005 homebirth study?

Connie