I picked up a book the other day called “YOU: The Smart Patient”by Drs. Roizen and Oz. It was a really interesting look at how to get the best medical care there is, no matter what you are looking to have done. One of the things that they talked about was really knowing your doctor and other health care practitioners. It talked about not only what questions you need to ask them, but about how to get the answers you need to make the best decisions. In my doula and childbirth education practice, I often find that women are too afraid to ask the hard questions of their practitioners. Some may suffer from white coat syndrome, but others simply don’t like to talk to their practitioners.
There are other women who truly want to know the answers to their questions, but can’t seem to get the answer out of their doctor. This is frustrating for everyone. I mean, come on, these women are just looking for the healthiest, safest pregnancy and birth possible for their babies, right? What’s the problem with getting a few facts and statistics from the people who you are paying to help you make the best decisions?
The truth is that women often truly don’t know what they are getting in prenatal care or for their upcoming birth, even when they try. We also have to admit that some women and their families put more time into researching the new camera or car seat than they do their pregnancy and birth support team. It shouldn’t be this hard. I mean, would you be okay if you went into a restaurant and paid money for an order of spaghetti and the wait staff brought you a turkey sandwich?
Two states currently have laws stating that doctors and midwives have to provide you with the statistics on their practice. Statistics like how many mothers come in and have a first cesarean section? How many use pain reliving drugs at birth? What is the rate of episiotomy for first time moms? This is called transparency in medical care – knowing what you’re getting versus what you ordered. In an effort to help spur on the heart of transparency in maternity care, there is a team of women who are working hard to spread the word about transparency and about finding out at both a practitioner and a facility level what is going on – mother to mother.
On July 21st in the New York City Area will be home to a very lovely birth fair at Union Square. If you’re in the area, stop by to say hello! You can also stay tuned for a national mother to mother survey on birth practices. A chance for you to share your voice about your experiences or to read what other mothers have said about the doctors, midwives, birth centers and hospitals in your area.