Birth in the state of Florida

Since I will be moving to Florida come August to study Maternal and Child Health and continue my doula-ing, it is necessary that I learn all I can about the state of birth in Florida.

Both articles - thanks to The Unnecesarean.



Florida Cesarean Rates by Hospital, 2008
Recall that the WHO recommended Cesarean rate is about 10% of all births for healthy moms and babies.

Hospital Name                                              Total Cesareans   Total Deliveries   2008 Rate

                                                                           
Statewide Total Cesarean Rate               84,994            222,645          38.2%
 
Kendall Regional Medical Center            1,439             2,020             71.2%

Seventy one percent?? Are you SERIOUS!?

Boca Raton Community Hospital              735              1,721             42.7%

Shands Hospital at the Univ of Florida     1,041            2,766             37.6%

Coral Springs Medical Center                    841              2,311             36.4%

Tampa General Hospital                            1,752            5,554             31.5% 
To view the entire list of hospitals and rates, click here.

State of Florida to Ban VBAC in Birth Centers
On Wednesday March 24th the State of Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration will move to permanently ban VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) in Florida birth centers.

Further, if the State feels women should have VBAC's in hospitals...they should mandate that hospitals allow women AHCA adequate trial of labor and welcome VBAC's. If fewer than half of Florida hospitals 'allow' VBAC, and fewer than 1% of obstetricians 'allow' VBAC candidates as patients, and Florida women are limited in their choice of birth place and care provider…well, you do the math. Our primary c-section rates aren't getting any lower (Florida's average is around 37%). 

Basically, this means that Florida women who want a VBAC in a hospital with an obstetrician (for fear of uterine rupture, or any other complications) they are almost definitely not going to be allowed to try for one. Unless they want to try for one at home.

VBAC is not allowed in Birth Centers in FL, but can be done at home with a Licensed Midwife and consult physician sign-off. There is virtually no difference in medical equipment between a birth center and the gear of a homebirth midwife. If the state considers a Licensed Midwife with VBAC at home safe, it is literally contradictory to ban VBAC's in birth centers. Many women would feel more comfortable in a birth center than in their homes, for a variety of reasons, and should be offered this opportunity

So it home birth VBAC's are allowed, why not birth centers? To sign a petition to legalize VBAC's in Florida's birth centers: Click here