Midwife suspended after two die
The midwife was suspended in December after a competency review because she was "a serious risk to the public", but could return to midwifery if she did competency training,...
In late 2005, Wellington coroner Garry Evans called for an independent maternity review and changes to midwifery training after the deaths of two breech babies delivered at home by midwives - a call Health Minister Pete Hodgson rejected.
There are serious issues around midwife competency, the standard of training by the College of Midwifery and the scope of practice allowed to midwives. Further the payment structure for midwives is hard to believe as is their mantra against medicalisation of childbirth. These need to be addressed urgently.
However there is a lot of political suport for midwives - eg 1) the National Women's investigation (which used erroneous statistical methods to destroy the incumbant male doctors) occured under Helens Clark's Ministery of Health, 2) Hodgson's wife is apparently a midwife, and 3) there are numerous members of the dykeocracy who are in top positions in the midwifery covern.
The babies' deaths are just the tip of the iceberg as there is no audit required of bad outcomes for both mothers and babies. The number of badly damaged babies from prolonged labours where medical help is not sought and the number of mothers who are severly torn and may not have comfortable sex again or who are feacally incontenant as a result, is not known. This is where the scandal lies and this is why there is an urgent need for a full and proper review of maternity services in New Zealand.
The women of New Zealand are being done a great disservice.
