Archives for Pregnancy - Page 4
Landmark Study Shows Giving Birth at Home is Safe
The largest prospective study of planned home birth with a direct-entry midwife shows that homebirth is as safe as hospital birth for low risk women, yet carries a much lower rate of…
What are ‘Normal’ blood test hormone levels in pregnancy?
The most common hormone looked for in pregnancy is human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), the "pregnancy hormone." This hormone can be found in the urine as well as the blood, and is…
The “Push” for Evidence: Management of the Second Stage
An in-depth review of the literature reveals strong support for redefining the second stage of labor and decreasing the duration of time pregnant women are instructed to push. (more…)
Get Going! Exercise in Pregnancy
.Exercising regularly under normal conditions can be confusing enough, so what about when you become pregnant? (more…)
Every Woman’s Rights
Consideration and respect for every woman under all circumstances is the foundation of this statement of rights. 1. Every woman has the right to health care before, during, and after…
Thoughts about Pre-eclampsia
I am still wrestling with the comments on my blog piece on pre-eclampsia and how to respond to them. The more I read and think about it, the more I see the…
Glossary of Midwifery Terms
A look under "Midwifery" in your local yellow pages will make it obvious that midwives are licensed and credentialed (or not) in different ways, and have various letters after their…
A Plea for Help to Save Waterbirth International
Of the many births that I have witnessed and assisted over the past 25 years, some of the most memorable were waterbirths. I frequently recall one early morning, in a dark and…
What is shoulder dystocia?
Shoulder dystocia refers to the situation when, after the baby's head emerges from the vagina, the shoulders fail to follow easily, either on their own with the mother's pushing, or…
Negotiating the Emotional and Psychological Terrain of Prenatal Diagnostic Testing
The pregnancy test is just the first in a long line of tests that inhabit the world of pregnancy. (more…)