More ACOG responses

Jennifer Block, the author of Pushed, has a thoughtful entry on her blog about the ACOG statement against homebirth. I appreciated this quote from her post:

"Finally, there’s a double standard lurking here: elective, medically unnecessary cesarean has been considered en vogue for some time. We know that major abdominal surgery carries with it major risks for both mother and baby, but when it comes to that cause célèbre, ACOG has vocally supported a woman’s 'right to choose.'"

For a little twist interjected into this recent flurry of press releases and blog posts responding to ACOG's statement, here is a parody of the statement from a HBAC (homebirth after cesarean) mother originally posted to Mothering.com.

A particularly salient point from the post was this: "Childbirth decisions should not be dictated or influenced by what’s fashionable, trendy, or the latest cause célèbre. Despite the rosy picture painted by hospital birth advocates, a highly medicalized labor and delivery can physically and emotionally scar both the mother and baby. Attempting a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) at the hospital is especially dangerous because seemingly benign interventions such as epidural anesthesia or Pitocin augmentation can lead to complications with potentially catastrophic consequences for both the mother and baby, including death. Unless a woman is in a supportive birth environment that allows the birth process to unfold on its own schedule, she puts herself and her baby’s health and life at unnecessary risk."