|
|
|
|
|
Transforming Maternity Care ProjectWhat is the Transforming Maternity Care Project?Transforming Maternity Care is Childbirth Connection's ongoing project to improve the care that is provided to childbearing women and newborns by improving the systems in which care is delivered. Despite the dedication of many hard-working maternity professionals, many mothers and babies are not receiving the best care. Some procedures are overused, and other beneficial practices are not used enough. Trends in the U.S. have been going in the wrong direction for many indicators, and other countries that spend far less have better maternal and newborn outcomes.Many system-level factors contribute to these disappointing results. For example, payment systems encourage high rates of some procedures — such as cesarean section — in this largely healthy population, but rarely pay for some types of beneficial care — such as help with smoking cessation, doula services and breastfeeding support programs. Some basic skills — e.g., attending vaginal breech births — are being lost because trainees do not have a chance to learn them. Pregnant women are choosing labor induction for convenience because they do not have information about downsides, for example, that every week counts in the health of their babies and also that induction can greatly increase the likelihood of cesarean section in some situations. The Transforming Maternity Care project has engaged stakeholders from across the health system to develop a consensus about the kind of maternity care mothers and babies need and to identify priority steps for getting there. These are outlined in two pathbreaking reports released in January 2010:
To learn more about this project and become involved, go to the Transforming Maternity Care section of this website. Most recent page update: 1/26/2010
© 2010 Childbirth Connection. All rights reserved.
Childbirth Connection is a national not-for-profit organization founded in 1918 as Maternity Center Association. Our mission is to improve the quality of maternity care through research, education, advocacy and policy. Childbirth Connection promotes safe, effective and satisfying evidence-based maternity care and is a voice for the needs and interests of childbearing families. |
News and Features : Health Professionals
New VBAC Guidlines
ACOG has just issued new Guidlines for VBAC. What changed? What continues? We've Moved!
On July 1, 2010, the Childbirth Connection office moved to 260 Madison Avenue, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10016. All other contact information is unchanged. "2020 Vision" and "Blueprint for Action" Reports Available
Rising Maternal Mortality
Help Transform Maternity Care!  Please join our efforts to make quality maternity care a top national priority. Your support will help make the transformation possible. View 2010 Supporter Roster 
Updated Maternity Care Statistics Available
US Cochrane Center (USCC)/Consumers United for Evidence-based Healthcare (CUE)
New Mothers Speak Out National Report Released The latest report in Childbirth Connection's Listening to Mothers series is now available. Get an eye-opening look at the reality of life as a mother of young children in the United States, based on national surveys conducted by Harris Interactive. Learn more, get the report Read the Wall Street Journal story and listen to the podcast Download Quick Facts (PDF) Why does the national U.S. c-section rate keep going up? Current research points to an optimal cesarean section rate of 5% to 10%, but 1 pregnant woman in 3 is giving birth by major surgery in the United States. Why the surge and is this safe? A new page - and a PDF handout for journalists, policy makers, students and others - answer these questions. Read more about the rising cesarean section rate New Content!
March/April 2009 evidence column is now available.
Features: National Quality Forum endorses consensus perinatal performance measures; systematic reviews on induction of labor, environmental tobacco smoke and fetal health, and HPV infection and cervical neoplasia Get the column Popular Pages
 Comfort in Labor, by Penny Simkin Penny Simkin, the internationally recognized leader in childbirth education and labor support, shares her wisdom with women, including comfort measures, effective positions, and tips for partners and doulas. Download Comfort in Labor (free PDF) 
Every woman has the right to unrestricted access to all available records about her pregnancy, her labor, and her infant; to obtain a full copy of these records; and to receive help in understanding them, if necessary.
|
