"Countdown to 2015": 700,000 New Midwives Needed

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), every year 2 million women and babies die each year in pregnancy or childbirth. 95% of these deaths occur in just 68 countries. "Countdown to 2015" is "global movement of academics, governments, UN agencies, foundations, health … [Read more...]

How Worried Should We Be About Everyday Chemicals?

Did you know that every day you rely on household products that contain thousands of untested and unregulated chemicals? How worried should we be about this reality? This question was recently raised by Jerome Groopman for an article in The New Yorker entitled “The Plastic … [Read more...]

Hospital Closure Turns NYC Home Birth Midwives Into Outlaws

As many of our readers know, both of my children were born at home. I live in California, and one of my midwives was licensed. I did receive parallel care from a medical doctor, although I am not sure if this was legally required by the state. After my babies were born, my … [Read more...]

Hungarian Home Birth Midwife Faces 8 Years Prison Over Baby's Death

Hungary has worked hard to reduce its infant mortality rate to one lower than the United States. In 1960, the country's rate was 48 deaths per 1000 births. In 2008, this number dropped to 5.4 deaths per 1000 births. Compared to the world average of 46, Hungary is a country that … [Read more...]

A C-Section on "False Pregnancy" Patient?!

Doctors at a hospital in Fayetteville, NC performed a very unnecesary C-section...as in, on someone who was not pregnant. Remind me again why the C-section rate is so high? According to the Fayetteville Observer, two gynecologists were issued "public letters of concern" after … [Read more...]