- Just because you don’t like a study doesn’t mean it’s wrong – One study on women’s sports watching habits, several misinterpretations. From Kyle.
- Bug Girl interviewed by Bora Z – Great interview, and of course Bug is always a fun read.
- Turkey moves to restrict Cesarean births – From Ron.
- Hope for an anti-nicotine vaccine – It wouldn’t be like a traditional vaccine, instead it would, “genetically modify the liver to continuously produce high levels of an anti-nicotine antibody, in addition to normal liver production.”
There is a broken link for the anti-nicotine vaccine article.
It should be http://science.kqed.org/quest/2012/07/16/hope-for-an-anti-nicotine-vaccine/
That was a quick fix! Is there another channel for housekeeping comments so they don’t clutter up the comments section?
I’m torn on the C-section issue in Turkey. On the one hand, I hate that the state is seeking to regulate women’s bodies and how women choose to give birth. On the other hand, C-section rates of almost 70% in private hospitals is a problem. That’s not being driven by medical necessity, it’s being driven by profit motive. I thought the 33% rate in the US was really high, so that number is shocking.
I question the motives behind the law. I don’t think it’s really about medical safety–it’s about controlling women. But I also think that something does need to be done to lower the C-section rate.
I think there’s a difference between electing to have a c-section and being part of the increased number of people who have a medically necessary c-section. I do question whether people who elect to have c-sections are mislead in order to raise profits, but if I remember correctly, high c-section rates are being examined because of standard operating procedures by hospitals such as adding unnecessary pitocin, etc.
My younger sister chose to have C-sections for both of her kids, but mostly because she wanted full control over when she gave birth. She did not want to wait. That’s just how she is.
re: high C-section rate in the US: from what I understand, the extent of medically unnecessary C-sections in the US is unknown. The vast majority of C-sections in the US are emergent or unscheduled, and you’re right that they often come about because of the cascade of intervention (which would, in a way, make them medically unnecessary had the cascade not been instigated).
A C-section rate of 70% is not out of any medical necessity. It’s for convenience (at least in the US, most often the convenience of the docs) and/or profit. If a woman wants to give birth through a C-section and she’s informed of all the risks, that’s absolutely her choice and something I would never want legislated away. I’m just not sure that’s what’s happening in Turkey.
I must clarify: What I’m not sure about is that informed consent is what’s happening in Turkey. I am sure that they are trying to legislate away a woman’s choice in how to give birth, and I detest that.
I’d rather have a C-section when I don’t need one than to be denied one when I do actually need it.
According to the article, no one is denying access to C-sections when they are medically necessary. They are trying to legislate against elective C-sections that are not medically necessary. They even have a caveat that “fear of natural birth” (which I’m assuming means fear of the often lengthy and intensely painful process) is enough to deem a C-section medically necessary.
Like I said, I don’t agree with the state mandating how women give birth or what they are allowed to do with their own bodies. I have to wonder, though, how much of that 70% is actually informed consent and not misleading women about giving birth in order to jack up profits.
I’m obviously too tired to read things. I stared at that Turkey headline over and over unable to parse it in a way that made sense until, finally, a little voice in my head said “the country, idiot, not the bird”.
Is there a ” sleep deprived brain” logical fallacy?
I think the best method to reducing the number of c sections is to educate rather than legislate. When I was pregnant, I took a birthing class that covered c sections, vaginal birth, and pain management. I would recommend such a class to anyone who is pregnant for the first time. The idea of giving birth, the options available, and the potential dangers are overwhelming. Getting unbiased information and training was immensely helpful.