Dear Jane

This is an important call for us but the date for papers submission was 27-01-05...Such a pity

m


-----Original Message-----
From: Jane sandall <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2005 09:36:16 -0000
Subject: conference Prague

Prague 18.1.05

 

 

 

 

Dear all,

 

 

 

I would like to invite you to take active part at pan European conference, which will be held in Prague Congress Centre on 24 - 27 May 2006. official language of the conference is English.

 

During this conference a special program for midwives will be organize. As the key concern of midwives around the world are overmedicalization of birth and raising caesarean section rate the program of midwifery part of the conference will be focused on this hot topic with the title: "Natural or Normal?   - the role of midwives in childbirth". The intention is to share positive experience, analysis, results of research or describe successful practices that can support midwives in empowering women to go through normal childbirth and get satisfying birthing experience.

 

The intention of the organizers is to attract midwives from all parts of Europe, but midwives from all around the world are cordially invited. With your kind help we would like to make the program interesting, attractive and enriching. 

 

That is why I dare to ask you to offer your presentation to the organizing committee. Posters, which would cover the topic are also welcome for poster exhibition.

 

The midwives who would register for the conference are invited not only to take part at the midwifery section of the conference, but also for the whole program. The president of the conference, prof. Zdenek Hajek, M.D., counts on about 2000 participants being present and that is why the conference should be held in the biggest Prague Conference Centre.

 

The estimated registration fee for the midwives (but no definite numbers are available yet) has been suggested about 300 Eur for the whole conference. 

 

 

We would appreciate to get the registration form for oral presentation by 27.1.2005. For registration of the presentations, use the registration form below, please.

 

 Looking forward to hear from you soon

 

                                                                                                Zuzana Stromerova

 

 

Registration for the speakers

 

 

 

Title of the presentation:

 

 

Brief contents (up to 5 sentences)

 

 

 

Time needed for the presentation

 

Communication technology needed (data projector, overhead projector, flip chart)

 

 

 

 

 

Name of the speaker

 

Profession

 

Contact address

 

Contact e-mail address

 

Contact phone number

 

 

Comments, message or special demands on the organizers

 

 

 

 

Please, fill in this form by printing or in block letters.

 

Please send this form by e- mail to: [log in to unmask]

In case you may have any questions, use the e-mail address or in urgent case the phone number: 00420272932472

 

 

 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Zuzana Stromerova 
To: [log in to unmask] 
Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2005 7:46 AM
Subject: homebirth restrictions


Dear all,
I have been forwarded a letter written by Rudite Bruvere from Latvia. She asks for help. I would say, that her letter is speaking on behalf of all post communist countries. We all have to fight for homebirth, And it is not a simple fight for homebirth as such, this has got a wide social significance. It is about democracy, about the listening to women and about the women´s right to choose the place of birth and care provider. This is not a simple fight for homebirth, really not!. In Czech Republic I am trying to build up a birth house. But it showed up during the years of my effort, that it is again not about getting a building for birthing women, but it touches all the aspects mentioned above. 

As women are not listened to and the decision makers are mostly men 45+, they can not imagin birth in another way, then has been conducted in classic hospitals as a high risk surgery.

I will answer Rudite´s questions from the Czech point of view, but I would like to ask everybody, who will be so kind and answer Rudite´s questions to send her answers also to Czech Republic to [log in to unmask]
I also attach invitation for the planned perinatal conference in 2006 as this could be also a good forum for discussion on restrictions of normal or natural birth.

Rudite writes:
I am obliged to find out three things in other European countries:

1. are homebirths (the access to, which midwives allowed to attend) regulated by law? = any, state or midwives' own regulations?

In Czech Republic: New law 96/2004, which speaks about education of healthcare providers (including midwives) and getting professional ability for profession. It also specifies conditions ( she has to get a special certificate) under which a midwife is allowed to work without supervision of a doctor. New regulation 242/2004, which specifies the activities (competencies) of healthcare providers and also competencies of midwives who got the certificate for woking without a doctor´s supervision. It is very important how one reads these legislative norms. Every lwayer would have different explanation. It seems the most efective to stick to individual words or simple sentences as they are really written. Then we can see, that midwives have lots of competencies. But it is tremendously difficult to be heard at official meetings.

At the moment there is NO legislative norm in Czech Republic, which would forbid midwives to help mothers at homebirth and no legislative norm, which would forbid the mothers to choose their home as a place of birth. On the other hand there is also absolutely NO support. This type of care is not covered by the public health insurance, so the mothers have to pay cash for this care.

2) does your country have any directives regarding

 a) the equipment+DRUGS the midwife has to carry with her (does MYLES show the standard?) 

 b) the basic requirements of the woman's place, such as: how far to the next hospital, which floor may the flat be, how wide  has to be the staircase etc.

a) No. Not at the moment. But I would like to develop some recommendation and try to bring it in discussion on professional floor. The midwives shouls have easy approach to Oxytocin and Mesocain (or something simlilar). At the moment only medical doctors can write a prescribtion. Midwives, who assist mothers at homebirth have dificulties with geting these important drugs.

b) In Czech Republic, there are regulations only for hospital settings and outpatients wards. But these can not be used for homebirths or birth house. this confuses the decision makers a lot. For instance: we have staircase in all the hospitals. Mothers can use the lift in case they have troubles with walking or are in bad health condition or such. But most of the mothers walk up the stairs. But for homebirth setting or the birth house, the health care officers demand a building without any stairs, regardless the fact, that only healthy mothers, in good physical condition are candidates for homebirth or a birth in a birth house. in case a non pregnant person would get health difficultie, would live maybe on second (or any other floor) would not habve the lift for his or her disposal and would need the transportation to the hospital and would need to be carried to the ambulance he would have to be carried. And these cases in Prague occur more often than they would occur with birthing women. So this discussion is still on.

No other recommendations or regulations are developed yet. In the project of birth house, step by step, I gave included text on this toppic and I hope this birth house project will be used in futuer as a basis for new guidelines.

3) are there any other directives that cause restrictions regarding the wish to give birth at home?

No, as mentioned above.I have been told by Mr Joao de Abreu Rocha from Brussels, that no country in EU  is allowed to forbid the mothers to choose the place of birth. Neither any country can punish a person, who would help the mother.

At the moment I am waiting for official answer from the Ministry of Health.

1. In case they still proclaime, that the midwives can not assist the mothers at out-of-hospital birth, who else should do that? Are there any official regulations for out-of-hospital care? I have  also offered my help with setting up some. I have send the letter to the Ministry of Health on 3.12.2004. No answer yet.

2. I have send in the birth house project and asked the Ministry for official complex assessment of this project. No answer yet.

But what I find a big problem, are the midwives themselves. The majority of them is afraid to offer the care to birthing women out-of-hospital. It is not that they would have to. But it shows, that they do not trust themselves and that they do not trust the physiology of birth and the ability of women to give birth natural way. The one, who is not convinced himself, is not able to convince the others. And that is why the decision makers do not hear strong unanimous voice.



So Rudite I keep fingers cross for you and be happy to hear from you soon.





Zuzana


Dr. Marlene Sinclair
Senior Lecturer in Midwifery
Course Director MSc Advanced Nursing and Midwifery
School of Nursing
University of Ulster
Jordanstown
BT37OQB
Tel 02890 366362