Perinatal Seminar

Continuing ed is required for Licensed Midwives...this can be rather boring at times, depending on the topic. Today I went to a conference that was awesome. Barbara Davenport CNM presented to the group. She is working to educate the risks involved with elective inductions for women who are less than 39 weeks. This is something I have taught for years. It is wonderful to see it going mainstream!
Most women who are wanting to be induced or who are talked into being induced don't realize the risk they are subjecting themselves and their babies to.

Risk to Babies:

• Preterm birth...yes ultrasounds can be wrong
• Respiratory distress
• Increased admission to NICU

Risk to Moms

• increased c-section rate--for first time moms it is 50%
• failure to progress or labor dystocia
• vacuum extraction or forceps delivery
• shoulder dystocia
• postpartum hemorrhage
• prolonged, more painful labor
• risk of uterine hyperstimulation leading to fetal distress
• 2x risk of amniotic fluid embolism

The new thing I learned was that the fetal brain is only 65% the size of the term brain. The fetal brain grows at a tremendous rate during the last weeks of pregnancy. By just giving that baby an extra week you are giving them a much better chance of coping better once out of the womb.

The other really interesting thing I was reminded of was that the baby is probably the one to initiate labor and by doing so it is the baby who benefits from the extra days inside.