Connie
Banack to Speak at 2nd Annual Caesarean Awareness Public
Meeting in Edmonton to Draw Attention to Alarming Trend Toward
Increased Caesarean Rates.
Speech by former President of International Caesarean Awareness
Network to mark April as being Caesarean Awareness Month.
EDMONTON, Alberta, Canada – April 1st, 2005 - The Edmonton
VBAC Support Association (ICAN of Edmonton) announced today that Connie
Banack will deliver the keynote speech at an important Caesarean
Awareness Public Meeting being held on April 23rd, in Edmonton.
Banack, a respected childbirth educator and doula trainer, and former
President and current Education Director of the International
Caesarean Awareness Network, ICAN, will discuss the growing concern
over the escalating rate of unnecessary caesarean sections in Canada,
and will respond to disturbing new pro-caesarean policy changes
issued
by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC).
"In Edmonton and the rest of Canada, the caesarean rate is almost
25%– double the limit the World Health Organization calls for,"
said Shannon Beckett, Chapter Leader of the Edmonton VBAC Support
Association. "And because half these Caesareans are deemed
unnecessary, the risks these mothers and babies are exposed to are
avoidable and costly. It's quite alarming to realize that the SOGC
has
issued a policy change that would increase the rate of unnecessary
first time and repeat caesareans, rather than reduce it."
Connie Banack's presentation on Saturday April 23 will cap a
series of Caesarean awareness events being held throughout Edmonton
during the month of April, sponsored by the Edmonton VBAC (Vaginal
Birth After Caesarean) Support Association/ICAN (International
Caesarean Awareness Network) of Edmonton. Information on the current
Caesarean and VBAC situation in the city will be available. The
presentation will take place Saturday, April 23, 2005, from 2 to
5
p.m. at the Strathcona Centre Community Hall, 10139-87 Avenue.
A goal of the Edmonton VBAC Support Association is to improve the
quality of childbirth care and support in Canada, and reduce the
number of unnecessary Caesareans performed each year. The Association
points to other countries with birthing models that Canada could
do
well to emulate. The Netherlands, Japan and Norway, for example,
handle over 70% of their births with a midwife outside of hospitals,
and are on the list of top 20 countries with the lowest mortality
and
morbidity rates for moms and babies.
"These countries understand that hospitals are for sick people,
not
for labouring women," said Annemarie Van Oploo, a nurse and labour
support doula in Edmonton. "This is the shift of opinion we need
in
Canada if we want to maintain the level of care the World Health
Organization calls for. Unfortunately, special care is not given
to
avoiding unnecessary Caesareans in the first place. Caesareans are
linked to a host of complications for baby and mother, and therefore
they should never be considered routine. In this era of controlled
health spending, providing support for avoiding unnecessary caesareans
will benefit everyone."
The press and public are invited to attend this special public
meeting, which will take place on Saturday, April 23, 2005, from
2 to
5 p.m. at the Strathcona Centre Community Hall, 10139-87 Avenue.
Testimonials and a Q & A Session are also included in the program.
For Further Information Contact:
Claudia Villeneuve, Media Contact (780)444-3041
E-mail: edmontonVBAC @ yahoo.ca
About the Edmonton VBAC Support Association
The Edmonton VBAC Support Association is a non-profit organization
registered in 1986. Also known as ICAN of Edmonton, it is a chapter
of
the International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN). In the 80's,
the
medical standard was `once a Caesarean, always a Caesarean'; then
VBAC
became a medically accepted option in the 90's. With the Caesarean
rate on the rise again in the new millennium, almost 1 in 4 moms
now
give birth surgically. The majority of those surgeries are automatic
repeat cesareans. The Edmonton VBAC Support Association/ICAN of
Edmonton exists to improve maternal child health by preventing
unnecessary cesareans through education, providing support for
cesarean recovery, and promoting Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC).
People willing to be interviewed:
Denise Iskiw – (780) 459-2845
Three caesareans and one VBAC at home, first caesarean was for a
stillbirth
Was refused a vaginal birth after three caesareans by her
obstetrician.
Shannon Beckett - (780) 450-6263
Chapter leader, Edmonton VBAC Support Association (ICAN of Edmonton)
Labour and birth support person or doula
Two Caesareans and one VBAC at home, first Caesarean resulted in
infection
Currently pregnant and planning VBAC number two at home again.
Annemarie Van Oploo – (780) 459-2845
Nurse, but now practices as labour and birth support person or doula
Respected advocate for natural birth options, and political action
leader for ASAC (Association for Safe Alternatives in Childbirth,
in
Edmonton)
Both children born at home with a midwife.
Pam Sorochan – (780) 438-0957
Nurse, but now practices as labour support person or doula.
Editor for the DAE, Doula Association of Edmonton, newsletter
One Caesarean and one VBAC in hospital
Cathy Pearson – (780) 469-7840
Retired school teacher
Retired Leader of the Edmonton VBAC Support Association, held position
for 10 years
One Caesarean and one VBAC at home in the 1980's when
“once a caesarean always another” was the medical
standard, and midwifery was “not legal” in Alberta.
Many other potential interviewees, including keynote speaker Connie
Banack, will be available at the public meeting since some guests
are
scheduled to give testimonials.
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