News Briefs (thanks DONA Edoula!)

 

Support birth legislature in the U.S.
U.S. doulas can become more politically active in supporting birth friendly legislation. Contact your senators and state representatives about the Medicaid reimbursement for birth centers bill and check out OpenCongress.

The Big Push for Midwives Campaign in the U.S.
Visit the web site to find out more about this national campaign to license certified professional midwives and increase access to out-of-hospital maternity care. If you agree with the campaign, sign the petition.  

Guidelines for induction
ACOG has revised their guidelines for labor induction. See the press release.  
 

Stripping or sweeping membranes
The Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health prepared a handout on Stripping Membranes that may be useful for our clients. Access it here.
 
Other articles from the Share With Women series offered copyright free by the Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health can be found here.  
 

Mother's Advocate
A service of Injoy Birth & Parenting Education, Inc., Mother's Advocate is a web site providing free PDF print materials and videos on How to Have a Better Birth.   

 

Fetal heart rate monitoring guidelines
ACOG revised their guidelines for interpretation of fetal heart rate tracings and clarified the terminology. Read the June press release.
 
VBAC babies are healthier than their elective repeat cesarean counterparts
Compared to babies born by VBAC, babies born after elective repeat cesarean have significantly higher rates of respiratory morbidity, NICU admission and longer length of hospital stay is the finding of a retrospective cohort study published in the June issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology. Read it on Medscape.  
 
BirthMatters Virginia video contest winners
Winning videos were chosen out of 40 entries for short videos representing childbirth options and evidence-based maternity care. Check out the top three prize winners and finalists.