C-Section Rates at ‘"Epidemic" Levels

The current trend of "unnecessary surgeries is jeopardizing women’s health," the U.N. World Health Organization warned in a report published in the medical journal The Lancet.

"Unnecessary C-sections are costlier than natural births and raise the risk of complications for the mother, said the report surveying nine Asian nations. It noted C-sections have reached “epidemic proportions” in many countries worldwide."

Read the full Associated Press story: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34826186/ns/health-pregnancy/

Current Issue: H1N1 Vaccine

Here is some good commentary from Midwifery Today:

www.midwiferytoday.com/articles/preg_H1N1fluvirus.asp

"Historically, alternative preventative treatment has been utilized successfully in times of epidemic flu outbreak. Although there is an option to vaccinate oneself with this new H1N1 vaccine, I would argue that the current global situation warrants a more serious search for safe, non-invasive alternatives. The inherent risks of vaccinations can serve as a reminder for midwives to return to the basics, creating and maintaining a healthy immune system."

Author Jeramie Peacock describes some of the problematic ingredients in the H1N1 vaccine, as well as alternative approaches being taken in France and India.

Happy News from the WHO

Not that we really needed any global government organization to tell us about the benefits of a mother breastfeeding her baby, but here we have it. :)

http://www.happynews.com/news/8202009/breast-feeding-save-million-lives.htm

Raising the global breastfeeding rate for infants to six months to 90% would apparently save an estimated 13 percent of the 10 million under-age-5 deaths a year.

And I thought this was a good point... "WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said it was also important that mothers in disaster zones be given the support they need to continue or restart breast-feeding. "During emergencies, unsolicited or uncontrolled donations of breast milk substitutes may undermine breast-feeding and should be avoided," Chan said, arguing abandoning breast-feeding could put vulnerable child lives at extra risk. "The focus should be on active protection and support of breast-feeding.""