Peter F. Schlenzka

Safety of Alternative Approaches to Childbirth

The Medicalization of Childbirth has not Improved Outcomes for Low-risk Pregnancies, the Majority of all Pregnancies

• Broschiertes Buch

Produktbeschreibung

This study examines the obstetric profession s claim and society s belief that the hospital-based obstetric approach to childbirth is safer with respect to perinatal mortality than the natural approach to childbirth as administered by midwives and some physicians in free-standing birth centers or at home. Using merged birth certificate and hospital discharge data for California for 1989 and 1990, the data show that low-risk women who opt for a natural childbirth in an out-of-hospital setting will experience a slightly though not significantly lower perinatal mortality than low-risk women who opt for a hospital birth. For these approximately 70% of all California birth, hospital birth is thus not safer with respect to perinatal mortality. The study suggests significant advantages for the natural childbirth approach with respect to reduced mortality and morbidity from unnecessary cesareans and other obstetric interventions, and significant benefits from avoiding negative downstreamconsequences from unnecessary obstetric interventions and procedures. The maternity care cost for a natural childbirth system would also be significantly lower.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing
• Seitenzahl: 188
• Erscheinungstermin: 31. Oktober 2009
• Englisch
• Abmessung: 220mm x 150mm x 12mm
• Gewicht: 298g
• ISBN-13: 9783838324197
• ISBN-10: 3838324196
• Artikelnr.: 28780745

Autorenporträt

Studied Business at Cologne University/Germany, Operations Research and Health Services Research at Stanford University, and received his PhD in Sociology from Stanford University. He is a retired Director of the international management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, and lives since 1986 in California. (Dipl.-Kfm., MS, PhD)