Title: Innovations in Maternity Health Services Committee
Author:
Section/SPIG: Maternal and Child Health
Issue Date:
The Innovations in Maternity Health Services scientific session is entitled “Evidence based childbirth: Does data make a difference in the Medical Delivery Business?“ It will be moderated by Kitty Ernst, CNM, MPH, emeritus executive director of the National Association of Childbearing Centers, and the Mary Breckenridge professor at Frontier Nursing Services. The session will address issues such as vaginal birth after Cesarean (VBAC), maternal mortality, and medical delivery business. The session is # 3346.0 and is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 8, at 4:00p.m., at the 132nd Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
The Business meeting for the Innovations Committee will be held on Monday, Nov. 8, at 6:30-8:00 p.m. following this scientific session. The location for both the scientific session and business meeting will be announced in the final program.
As this Section newsletter is being prepared for the membership, each committee has just finished preparation for the Annual Meeting. With this momentary pause, there is time to reflect on the “bigger picture” –- what is Maternal and Child Health is really about these days (daze?). The recurrent need to consider the plight of the most vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women and their families in this time of so many conflicting priorities, is challenging for society in general and public health workers in specific.
The importance of well baby care and positive maternity health services can not be set aside. This is the future, and what happens during these formative nine months of maternity can mark an individual’s entire life. These issues, while global and philosophical, permeate the daily activities of public health workers in every community. How does a particular patient/client receive the care and assistance which she needs to provide adequately for her child?
The Innovations in Maternity Health Services Committee has chosen to focus on evidence based practice as an example of improving patient-centered health care. The group continues to address the issues of access to quality care for all pregnant women as the primary goal for all MCH programs. The growing impact of increased malpractice costs in the United States has further limited care to women across the nation.
The mission of the Innovations in Maternity Health Services Committee is to raise the “hard” questions in childbirth: Why are certain procedures done? Is it necessary? Is it mother and child friendly? Does it improve outcomes? At this time, with a continued growth of health care technology, the committee feels that the underlying structure of maternal health care delivery should be evaluated particularly as such development impacts the control which childbearing families have in these decisions.
This year our committee will continue to focus on data issues which affect the Business of Medical Childbirth. Learning how evidence based data can help health professionals improve their clinical decision making is key to this process. Determining what pregnant women want and need; how they make their decision; and where they get information about birth options is a first step in this process.
Yes, there must be answers, and there must be time for such discussions….online, in committee meetings, and at the annual meeting. The members of the MCH section must support each other through these trying times. Together there can be improved access to services and quality of care, which will enhance satisfaction with such services for both for patients and providers.
Carol Nelson
cpmcnel@usit.net
Barbara Levin
BarbL11@aol.com