Women protest home birth Bill
Women unhappy with the federal Government’s Medicare for Midwives Bill protested last Thursday outside the offices of local member Tanya Plibersek, saying the Bill would drive midwifery underground. About 150 turned up with nearly as many children in tow.
The Bill decrees that, after 2010, midwives in private practice will be illegal and uninsured unless they register with a private obstetrician or obstetric GP. There is no obligation on the doctor to accept the registration, which in regional areas could prevent the legal use of a midwife. The protesters say the Bill takes control of the birth away from the mother and midwife and gives it to a doctor.
“Birth is not an illness, it’s a natural part of the life cycle,” said protester Christina Nagle who had travelled from Gymea with her child Maia. “Midwives know when to send a mother into medical care.”
Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon spoke to the protesters, noting that women could choose to have a caesarian birth for non-medical reasons, but could not choose to have their baby at home.
She took aim at Dr Andrew Pesce, an obstetrician who is also president of the Australian Medical Association, accusing him of supporting the Bill with tabloid style spin. She said the AMA was behind widespread news reports that a South Australian study showed babies were “seven times more likely to die from complications during a homebirth than a planned hospital delivery” and were “27 times more likely to suffer asphyxiation during labour”.
But the Homebirth Australia group says the study revealed only nine deaths in 16 years, seven of which occurred in hospital. Of the two that occurred during a home birth, one had known existing risk factors. Only three deaths related to asphyxia.
“To date Health Minister, Nicola Roxon and even Kevin Rudd have been spellbound by the AMA, acting in its members’ interests, rather than those of women choosing to birth at home,” said Justine Caines, secretary of the group.
Ms Rhiannon said the campaign to marginalise midwives came from a small group of doctors which was trying to lock women out of the birth process.
“This struggle has been going on for thousands of years,” she said. “They used to burn ‘witches’ because they were midwives.”
Housing Minister Tanya Plibersek’s office declined to comment, referring The City News to Health Minister Nicola Roxon. Her office promised a comment but did not provide one.
by Michael Gormly
