According to Giving Birth With Confidence, 74% of women who plan a VBAC will have a vaginal birth.  However, according to the March of Dimes website, the numbers of women who actually choose to VBAC are much lower. Women who have undergone cesarean surgery and become pregnant again face the decision of whether to VBAC or undergo

The abstract of an article written by Kristina J. Hung, a perinatal nurse at San Francisco Genreal Hospital and Trauma Center and Ocean Berg, a Perinatal Clinical Nurse Specialist also at the same hospital, is available for review here.  The two set out to improve the rates at which early skin-to-skin-contact (STS) was initiated in

The members of the ICAN Board are very pleased to announce our newest edition, Martha Basham as our new Publications Director. We look forward to her bringing publications to the next phase of print and electronic media development, educational material distribution, overseeing eNews and Clarion, as well as, overseeing current print materials and literature. We

Just a heads up for everyone.  Tune in (or set your DVRs) for the second hour of Good Morning America tomorrow featuring Ricki Lake on a piece about home birth the program will be covering.  If you can’t catch it live or record it, head over to their page to catch the video recording after

An article published on sciencedaily.com earlier this week discusses the findings of 60 studies, spanning 24 years, including 700,000 women in 13 countries and hundreds of hospitals to be published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing’s August issue.  Click here to read the entire release on their site.  According to the article, certain induction methods

The members of the ICAN Board are very excited to announce Melody Thompson (former Development Director) as the new Vice President. She is incredibly bright, motivated, gifted, caring, and dedicated to serving. We look forward to supporting her in her growth in her new position for you, the ICAN family, and the organization as a

Earlier this week, we posted a link to a story about the new study that found a new 34% high for the cesarean rate in America.  The full report has been published and is available for review here.  The report includes a ranking of the best hospitals in the nation for both maternity care and

As promised in yesterday’s post, here comes the news of 20 Louisiana hospitals who are also deciding to put a stop to preterm elective births.  You can read the full story here. According to the article, the hospitals made the decision at the urging of Health Secretary Bruce Greenstein.  Not only is the decision expected

It’s been all over the news lately–in the past week, I brought you the story of Banner Hospital in Arizona banning elective cesareans and inductions before 39 weeks (and stay tuned for a post about 20 Louisiana hospitals doing the same!).  Now NPR is covering the efforts some doctors, and the March of Dimes with

Published on Today’s website is an article discussing a newly published study which found, in 2009, the cesarean section rate hit an all time high of 34%.  While the article includes a questionable statement–“A C-section is necessary to remove the baby from the uterus….when a prior C-section makes vaginal delivery difficult or dangerous”–it also does