FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 23, 2008

CURRENT CONTROVERSIES IN PREGNANCY AND BIRTH

What Do Women Really Want?

The United States cesarean section rate hit a record high of more than 31% in 2006. This coincides with the first rise of the maternal death rate in decades. Women seeking to have a vaginal birth after a previous cesarean increasingly find that hospitals are denying that option, despite clear evidence that such a choice may be safest for women and babies. At the same time, facilities and services that provide high quality support and care are making possible safe and satisfying birth experiences for women and their families.

Judy Norsigian, co-founder and executive director of Our Bodies Ourselves, the organization that for almost 40 years has provided indispensable information on women's health and sexuality, will be speaking about the organization’s newest quest to address the questions and needs of women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the “fourth trimester” of early motherhood.

“Our Bodies Ourselves is renowned for objective information that is presented without influence of pharmaceutical or other interests aside from those of women themselves,” commented Norsigian, "The widespread routine use of medical interventions during labor and birth has failed to improve the safety of childbirth for women who are at low risk for medical complications. Our newest book, Our Bodies, Ourselves: Pregnancy and Birth, dispels many common misconceptions about maternity care and provides women with the information they need to make wise decisions and approach birth with confidence.”

Joining the conversation will be Jennie Joseph, a licensed midwife, proprietor of The Birth Place Birthing Center, founder of the JJ Way™ Maternal Child Healthcare System, and author of Beautiful! Images of Health, Vitality and Joy during Pregnancy and Birth. Jennie is a champion for women’s health issues and a long-time pioneer for women’s special healthcare needs. She offers 26 years of combined expertise to help pregnant women achieve the birth of their dreams.

To learn more and discuss current controversies in maternity care, please join us.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

2:00pm-4:00pm
Whole Foods Market

8003 Turkey Lake Road, Orlando, FL 32819

Founded in 1969 after a group of Boston-based women met at a local women’s conference, the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective (also known as Our Bodies Ourselves) wrote the first edition of the landmark book, Our Bodies, Ourselves, in 1970. The eighth edition (2005) as well as other publications and online resources by this nonprofit organization continue the tradition of providing accurate noncommercial information about women's health and sexuality. For more information, visit. http://www.ourbodiesourselves.org.