Advances in medical science and technology have significantly reduced the risk of serious complications and death during pregnancy and birth. You’d think this would make mums-to-be more relaxed than they…
We might expect dramatic sex ratio fluctuations when a whole population experiences extreme food shortages.
Teeejayy
People often ask me whether natural selection continues to operate on modern humans in industrialised societies, even though technology has liberated so many from hunger and early death. My answer is always…
Home births for high-risk pregnancies and where a registered midwife isn't present are risky.
Deannster
We live in a world with many different perspectives on risk. Entire professions now exist to advise us on how to recognise, avoid and manage risk. And the maternity and obstetric professions are no different…
Many extremely premature babies will have lifelong physical and intellectual deficiencies.
kqedquest
Imagine how frightening it must be for a woman to go into labour when she is just over halfway through her pregnancy and her baby has only had 23 or 24 weeks to grow. She and her family are overcome with…
Government restrictions on midwife-led care make it difficult for women to have a home birth.
Methyl lives
Choosing where to give birth – whether in a public hospital, private facility or in the home – is a fundamental human right that should be available to all Australian women. But despite the Commonwealth…
One in three Australian women will give birth by caesarean but many don't need to.
Mike Hanlon
There’s no doubt that caesarean sections are an essential procedure that can save the lives of women and babies. But around one in three Australian women will give birth by caesarean section – and that…
