Dear Friends:
    Judi writes "The reason the OB entered the scene is because too many
people were dying  from complications."
     In fact, the OB entered the scene as part of an orchestrated plan around
the turn of the century to wipe out midwives, homeopaths, naturopaths,
chiropractors and anybody else that wasn't a university trained physician.
This move was backed by the power and money of folks like Carnegie and
Rockefeller. Women were pressured to move to hospitals to serve as practice
populations for the physicians. Until then birth was mainly at home, or in
lying-in facilities (which were more in Europe than in the States.)
    The biggest preserver of life in obstetrics has been prenatal care, not
physicians and technology. Read Marjorie Tew's book "Safer Childbirth?" for
details. She found a positive relationship between a new technology and an
increase in morbidity and mortality.
    Warmly,
Nikki Lee RN, MSN, Mother of 2, IBCLC, CIMI, CSTP
Elkins Park (a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; northeastern USA)
supporter of the WHO Code and the Mother Friendly Childbirth Initiative

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