RESOURCES & INFORMATION

Here is a comprehensive collection of resources, with additional information about many aspects of this topic. You don’t have to become an expert, but if you are familiar with the basic outlines of the issue, you will feel more confident making your case and answering questions.  Use the additional resources below to expand your knowledge and/or to find specific tidbits that might be especially persuasive for your individual legislators, given their interests and positions.

Be sure also to look at the Materials page, which includes our recommendations for a basic packet of information you can leave with your legislator or policy-maker. This may be enough for many situations, but can be customized with additional information from the resources below as needed. If you know of an important resource that isn't here, please let us know, so we can add it.

PAGE CONTENTS:

• Statements from ACOG & the AMA
• Responses to AMA & ACOG Statements
• Media Coverage
• About Planned Homebirth
• About Midwives & Midwifery
• About Problems with Maternity Care in the US
• About Patients Rights & Human Rights

Statements from ACOG & the AMA

• About ACOG & the AMA -- What You Need to Know
• American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) Statement (webpage)
• American Medical Association (AMA) Resolution (doc)
• ACOG Review of 2007 (PDF)

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Responses to AMA & ACOG Statements

• Condensed Responses Fact Sheet – [pdf when available]
• CfM Response – [pdf when available]
• Childbirth Connection. Also see a joint letter sent by Childbirth Connection and other organizations (PDF). 
• American College of Nurse Midwives Response Letter (pdf)  and Addenda (pdf)
• Midwives Alliance of North America (pdf)
• Big Push for Midwives – on the AMA Resolution Article 1 (pdf)  and Article 2 ; on the ACOG Statement 
• Maine Association of CPMs pdf
• ICAN pdf
• Stuart Fischbein of the Birth Action Coalition
• Holistic Moms pdf–

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Media Coverage

• LA Times, by Jennifer Block
• Huffington Post
• ABC News
• AOL News 

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About Planned Homebirth

• "Safety" in Childbirth -- What does this mean? What is “safe” enough? By Susan Hodges – [pdf]
• Coalition for Improving Maternity Services Evidence Basis for the Ten Steps of Mother Friendly Childbirth especially Step 1 and Appendix (pdf)
• Mother-Friendly Childbirth: Highlights of the Evidence developed by CfM & Birth Network National (pdf)
• Mother-Friendly Childbirth -- Highlights of the Evidence Access to Midwifery Care and Out of Hospital Birth developed by CfM & Birth Network National – [pdf]
• Childbirth Connection Best Evidence for Choosing a Place of Birth
• Understanding Birth Better from the authors of the CPM 2000 study; additional relevant information
• UK Joint Statement on Homebirth of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Royal College of Midwives (pdf)
• When Research is Flawed: The Safety of Homebirth from Lamaze 
• American Public Health Association (APHA) Policy Statement on Increasing Access to Out-OF-Hospital Maternity Care Services

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About Midwives & Midwifery

• Midwives Model of Care definition and brochure
• Childbirth Connection Best Evidence for Choosing a Caregiver
• Certified Professional Midwives Issue Brief (pdf)
• ACNM Issue Brief on Midwifery Certification in the US (pdf)
• ACNM Comparison Chart of CNM/CM and CPM Credentials (pdf)
• Big Push materials
• APHA Position Paper on Supporting Access to Midwifery Services in the United States
• National Organization for Women (NOW) Resolution Expansion of Reproductive Freedom to Include the Midwifery Model of Care
• Pew Report on The Future of Midwifery (pdf)

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About Problems with Maternity Care in the US

• Childbirth Connection – Evidence-Based Maternity Care: What It Is and What It Can Achieve and Maternity Quality Matters Web Section
• Henci Goer – “The Assault on Normal Birth” and “Spin Doctoring the Research”
• Marsden Wagner – “Fish Can’t See Water”  and “Midwifery and International Maternity Care”
• Our Bodies Ourselves – “Why is Maternity Care Like This?”
• Susan Hodges – “Effects of Hospital Economics on Maternity Care”
• State of Maternity Care in the US fact sheet – [pdf]

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About Patient’s Rights & Human Rights – As Related to Access to Home Birth & Midwives

• "What are Our Rights?" Interview with attorney Susan Jenkins – [pdf]
• Rights of Childbearing Women from Childbirth Connection
• Pregnant Patients' Bill of Rights by Doris Haire
• Articles from National Advocates for Pregnant Women (NAPW)
• "Do Pregnant Women Have Rights?" by Lynn Paltrow (pdf)
• "Rights of Unborn Children and the Value of Pregnant Women" by Howard Minkoff & Lynn Paltrow (pdf)
• Patients Rights Program
• Patients Rights Section of VBAC.com with links to other sources
• UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights --  Relevant sections excerpted on Talking Points page.
• ACLU's Coercive and Punitive Governmental Responses to Women's Conduct During Pregnancy (1997)

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TOOLKIT CONTENTS -- Main Sections

• Introduction to the CfM Tool Kit to Stand Up for Home Birth
  
• Important Information -- About AMA & ACOG, Safety, & Rights
• Main Talking Points
• Contacting & Communicating with Your Legislator
• Resources -- AMA & ACOG Statements, Responses, Research, etc
• Making the Case -- Sample Language for Letters, Phone Calls, and Meetings
• Simple things you can do
• Problem Legislation to Watch Out For
• Materials for Packets -- Midwives Model of Care Folders are now available!

 

 Do you find this information useful?  Learn more about CfM and consider Joining CFM.