The Importance Of Obstetric Services For Pregnant Women For Before, During, And After Birth

This can be defined as heath care that is received while pregnant, and can be seen through a few of the many ways to obtain care: going for regular monthly checkups, taking prenatal vitamins, eating properly and healthily to obtain the nutrients needed (U.S Women’s Health Department, 2012). A healthy pregnancy increases the chances for a healthy newborn, and according to the U.S Women’s Health Department (2012), “babies of mothers who do not get prenatal care are three times more likely to have a low birth weight and five times more likely to die than those born to mothers who do get care”. When taking care of the body and focusing on prenatal care, doctors are able to catch health problems in the baby earlier and health problems in the mother that can later affect the baby, and through proper prenatal care, it allows these issues to be treated early (U.S Women’s Health Department, 2012). In previous years and centuries, because prenatal care was not widely recognized, and future mothers did not recognize the importance of proper care of the fetus, the number of newborns born with birth defects or irregular vital signs was significantly higher than in today’s

The medical industrial complex (MIC) holds many influences in the care of women, especially poor marginalized women. MIC is simply a platform of the network among corporations that supply health care services and products to make money. Oparah and Bonaparte explain how the individual’s ability to pay determines the quality of care they receive (Oparah & Bonaparte, 2015, pg. 4). In relations to birthing, hospitals aren’t a place for an intimate connection between a woman that’s about to give birth and their newborns. It’s more of a time efficiency center where doctors (mainly white men) would purposely perform cesarean deliveries to not only save time, but to make a

One important health disparity is the lack of prenatal care amongst women in socially disadvantaged populations. These predominately include women of minorities, women who have a low income, and the location these women live in. This health disparity is important to address because research has shown that women who receive prenatal care are more likely to conceive babies of a healthy birth weight and have low infant mortality rates than those women who do not receive this prenatal care ("Putting Women 's Health Disparities on the Map," 2009). Therefore, health disparities amongst women in need of prenatal care have lead to preventable infant mortalities amongst women in vulnerable populations. Three reasons why this health disparity is important to address include the following: health disparities in prenatal care lead to lack of access to prenatal care to women in vulnerable populations, there are increased adverse health outcomes for both the infant and mother, and there are excess medical expenses that could otherwise have been prevented. Because “prematurity is the leading cause of newborn death in the United States” (“Healthy Mothers and Healthy babies,” 2013), finding and developing a solution will be extremely beneficial and needs to begin with addressing prenatal care.

Within Victoria there are multiple models of maternity care available to women. An initial discussion with the woman’s treating GP during the early stages of her pregnancy is critical in her decision-making about which model of care she will choose and this key discussion is essential in allowing a woman to make the first of many informed decisions throughout her pregnancy. According to a survey conducted by Stevens et al. (2010) only 43% of women felt ‘they were not supported to maintain up-to-date knowledge on models of care, and most reported that model of care referrals were influenced by whether women had private health insurance coverage.’ Many elements of these models of care differ: from location of care, degree of caregiver continuity, rates of intervention and maternal and infant health, outcomes access to medical procedure, and philosophical orientation such as natural or medical (Stevens, Thompson, Kruske, Watson, & Miller, 2014). According to the World Health Organization (1985) and Commonwealth of Australia (2008) there is a recognition that ‘85% of pregnant women are capable of giving birth safely with minimal intervention with the remaining 15% at potential risk of medical complications’ (McIntyre & Francis, 2012).

Maternity care in the United States is in jeopardy. There is an increasing trend of shortages of obstetrician-gynecologists and family physicians that once provided vital maternity care. With almost half of the nation’s counties lacking an obstetric provider, approximately ten million women are affected. Obstetricians-gynecologist themselves are also feeling the burdens of the understaffed hospitals and clinics with prolonged work hours. These medical professionals who dedicate their very lives to the field and the care of women are under a great amount of pressure and stress due to the shrinking workforce. Furthermore, interest amongst the youth is necessary in order to have an ample amounts of physicians available to replace the increasing

Johnson et al. emphasize lower cesarean section rates of physician-mothers under physician-induced demand (2). One reason concerns higher reimbursement of surgical births rather than vaginal deliveries, which functions as a non-medical factor. Financial incentives are imposed on uninformed patients so that cesarean deliveries become more frequent in the health environment. Despite the non-medical factors applying cesarean sections should be regarded in terms of maternal mortality and morbidity. In addition, performing the vaginal delivery safely could involve more resources and treatment of any arising complications during the birth. Patients’ knowledge about interventions could achieve larger cuts in cesarean section

Pregnant mothers are viewed as a business made for doctors and hospitals as insurances typically cover infant birth and hospital bills. As Patricia Burkhardt, Clinical Associate Professor, NYU Midwifery Program could not speak the truth any better, she states, “Hospitals are a business. They want those beds filled and emptied. They don’t want women hanging around the labor room.”

The author is a nurse in a level two trauma facility in a community of approximately fifty thousand people in Oregon. The community is a college-town surrounded by a large agricultural area. There is a minimal ethnic diversity within the community. The diversity present occurs mainly from internationally students and faculty from the college. There is a growing population of women who desire low interventional births in the community. The author has worked on the labor and delivery unit of the hospital for the last 14 years. The hospital is the only one in the area to offer trial of labor services to women who have previously undergone a cesarean section. The unit on average experiences around 1000 deliveries annually.

Although nurse midwives do complete the task of aiding in the delivery of newborns, “they also provide health care and wellness care to women, which may include family planning, gynecological checkups, and prenatal care” (nurse.org). Nurse midwives also assist along with physicians during c-sectional births. Certified Nurse Midwives or CNMs are advanced nurse practitioners; however, nurse midwives must earn an advanced degree, a special certification, and training in order to practice midwife duties. CNMs offer similar care to that of an OB/GYN doctor; therefore they make different financial earnings. “Nursing Economics, found that when midwives work in collaboration with physicians, the birth is less likely to end in a C-section” (nurse.org). If less c- sections are performed in hospitals, it could help lower the medical costs due to paying for medication during the labor and delivery, of a natural vaginal birth. To illustrate, nurse midwives should be more prevalent in hospitals, in order to lower the financial status of medical

There are many expecting mothers in our society that are very unware of what steps to take to ensure that they maintain a healthy environment for the developing fetus. In the case of Tano and Lonita, they are a couple of struggling immigrants who are working hard to get by. Unfortunately for them are some resources that are not made available to them due to socioeconomic status. However, there are many steps they can talk in order to eliminate the risks of a low birth weight, or preterm labor. One step would be to attend a comprehensive prenatal care program that are known to improve birth outcomes in situations such as Lonita’s. Another way would be for Tano to become more involved with Lonita and keep a strong bonded and caring relationship between them. The last solution would be to apply for government aid programs to improve financial situations.

The right of every human to a standard of living that ensures health and wellbeing independently of race, religion, geographic location, social status, and political views , is often viewed as a way of guaranteeing individual dignity and development (United Nations).

According to “Human Sexuality: Diversity in Contemporary America,” women and couples planning the birth of a child have decisions to make in variety of areas: place of birth, birth attendant(s), medication, preparedness classes, circumcision, breast feeding, etc. The “childbirth market” has responded to consumer concerns, so its’ important for prospective consumers to fully understand their options. With that being said, a woman has the choice to birth her child either at a hospital or at home. There are several differences when it comes to hospital births and non-hospital births.

The nurse must be mindful of each intervention initiated and the possible benefits of the intervention against its potential harmful effects for both mother and fetus. Not providing basic comfort measures for the mother can cause serious physical and emotional problems and could lead to possible fatigue and feelings of failure from the mother. The priority of this nursing intervention is to provide the mother and fetus with the least discomfort as possible and

Prenatal care is medical care for pregnant woman and is important for a healthy pregnancy. Its key components include regular checkups and prenatal testing, eating healthfully, exercising, and beginning as soon as one knows she is pregnant.

Prenatal care is widely accepted as an important element in improving pregnancy outcome. (Gorrie, McKinney, Murray, 1998). Prenatal care is defined as care of a pregnant woman during the time in the maternity cycle that begins with conception and ends with the onset of labor. A medical, surgical, gynecologic, obstretic, social and family history is taken (Mosby's Medical, Nursing, and Allied Health Dictionary, 1998). It is important for a pregnant woman as well as our society to know that everything that you do has an effect on your baby. Because so many women opt not to receive the benefits of prenatal care, our society sees the ramification, which include a variety of complications primarily