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The vast majority of women in America give birth without incident. But each year, more than 50,000 are severely injured. About 700 mothers die. The best estimates say that half of these deaths could be prevented and half the injuries reduced or eliminated with better care.
Instead, the U.S. continues to watch other countries improve as it falls behind. Today, this is the most dangerous place in the developed world to give birth.
Wow. That article was surprising. Thanks for posting it. Here's hoping that hospitals make the necessary changes to be able to identify these problems before mothers are injured. I have another grandbaby coming in 3-4 days. Two were born at one of the good hospitals mentioned in the article.
I'd like to say that I'm surprised, but I'm not. The medical community in the US has long treated women poorly. There are many studies that confirm this, so before someone tells me that's not true, do some research. The state of reproductive care for women has become even worse.
Did anyone notice the women's names in this article? Perhaps not representative in that article, but here is another piece that pinpoints ethnic differences in mortality and apparently in treatment:
I'd like to say that I'm surprised, but I'm not. The medical community in the US has long treated women poorly. There are many studies that confirm this, so before someone tells me that's not true, do some research. The state of reproductive care for women has become even worse.
Why would anyone who is biased against women want to work in a field where all of the patients are women?
The physician who started a local OB/GYN group in my community many years ago began his career as an old fashioned GP. He is reported to have switched to OB/GYN because he could not stand taking care of male patients. He was also famous for writing a prescription for a "baby nurse" and handing it to the new dad - meaning get the new mom some help for a while after she and the baby come home.
This is a systemic problem and one that can be fixed. Hospitals have to recognize it and implement policies that have already been shown to work. I cannot fathom why they would not want to do so ASAP. They also have to adequately train staff and hire enough of them.
I wonder about the plausibility of the graphic that shows the large discrepancy between the US rate and that of other countries. It seems that all countries do not calculate maternal mortality the same way.
I admittedly didn't read the article carefully but it seems to center around after birth care?
Like assuming once the birth was uneventful and a normal 'ordinary' thing, checking blood loss and blood pressure hasn't been thought of to be necessary.
Please do correct me if I got that wrong
I admittedly didn't read the article carefully but it seems to center around after birth care?
Like assuming once the birth was uneventful and a normal 'ordinary' thing, checking blood loss and blood pressure hasn't been thought of to be necessary.
Please do correct me if I got that wrong
If the uterus does not contract properly after delivery there can be heavy bleeding from the site of attachment of the placenta. The blood vessels in that area are normally pinched off by surrounding muscle fibers as the uterus contracts after the placenta detaches and is expelled. The uterus can fill with clots. The nurse attending the delivery should be checking the uterus frequently to make sure it is firm and not soft and boggy. Massaging it through the mother's abdominal wall will make it contract. One problem is that if the mother is extremely obese it can be difficult to feel the uterus. Also, as the uterus fills with clotted blood, visible blood draining from the vagina (I know, TMI!) may not be suggestive of severe blood loss. Then the first hint of hemorrhage may be a low blood pressure, which should be checked frequently immediately post delivery. Women who have had cesarean sections may bleed internally. Again, since that blood is retained inside the abdominal cavity, low blood pressure may be the only indication it is happening.
Pre-eclampsia, or toxemia, is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy of unknown cause characterized by high blood pressure, swelling, and protein in the urine. Delivering the baby (more specifically, the placenta) cures it. However, a small number of women do not experience the onset of the condition until after delivery. That is another reason for monitoring the blood pressure postpartum. In days past, when patients spent three to five days in the hospital after delivery, their high blood pressure would be picked up before they went home. Now it may not happen until after they leave the hospital. There is no easy solution to that problem. Home visit by a nurse? When and how often? Mom comes to her doctor's office? When and how often? Mom or a family member takes her blood pressure? That's probably the least expensive option. Certainly new onset of a severe headache should prompt evaluation in the office or ER as soon as possible.
It's been too long since I've had kids but do any new moms on here remember whether or not your blood pressure was routinely taken after you delivered?
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He was also famous for writing a prescription for a "baby nurse" and handing it to the new dad - meaning get the new mom some help for a while after she and the baby come home. 
