What's New?
Here’s where you can catch up on news reports, articles or news we think you need to hear.
If you hear of or see other news stories that you think we should be including, please email us and send us the link and we’ll add them here for everyone to see.
AIM on Breakfast to discuss the Coroner's findings and recommendations in the Adam Barlow case - TVNZ, May 9, 2012
http://tvnz.co.nz/breakfast-news/midwifery-care-criticised-video-4873967
Kahn's story, as told on Sunday, TV One, 2004
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uf0n6qxx7tQ
An example of why AIM wants full disclosure of practitioner complaints history - NZ Herald, April 1, 2012
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10795887
More concern regarding Whanganui changes, this time from midwives - Waikato Times, April 1, 2012
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/6673664/Midwives-warn-of-reform-dangers
Nurses voice their concern at increased risk for Whanganui families - NZ Herald, March 30, 2012
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10795574
VBAC not necessarily safest - NZ Herald, March 28, 2012
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10794988
Jenn talks on Breakfast about the survey of bereaved families, instigated for the first time EVER at AIM's suggestion - TVNZ, March 15, 2012
http://tvnz.co.nz/breakfast-news/state-our-maternity-services-video-4778203
AIM highlights dissatisfaction in Maternity Care Survey - Waikato Times, March 14, 2012
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/6571371/Mothers-find-fault-in-maternity-care
More recognition for AIM's hard working founder and spokesperson - March 13, 2012
http://www.nzawards.org.nz/AwardRecipients/WaikatoRegion/tabid/36072/Default.aspx
AIM's first representation within a Guest Column - Waikato Times, March 13, 2012
Fewer NZ women satisfied with pregnancy care - March 11, 2012
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1203/S00052/fewer-nz-women-satisfied-with-pregnancy-care.htm
Systemic failures blamed for baby's death - NZ Herald, 5 March, 2012
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10789981&fb_source=message
Another devastating outcome due to lack of communication and poor communication - 28 February, 2012
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/6489778/Doctor-says-sorry-over-newborns-death
Another preventably heartbroken family - NZ Herald, 21 February, 2012
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10786909
Whanganui looking likely to loose obstetric services - NZ Doctor, February 8, 2012
Midwife being investigated for stealing medication - Dominion Post, January 21, 2012
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/6291893/Midwife-admits-drug-addiction
Midwife criticised over baby death - Rotorua Daily Post, January 18, 2012
Maternity focus for award finalist
The first step is to hope the recommendations are made. The second is to hope they're actioned. Sadly, so very many times, they are not. Wanganui Chronicle, 2 December 2011
http://www.wanganuichronicle.co.nz/news/babys-death-may-spur-law-change/1195006/
Seven years have passed for this grieving family with resolution yet to come - 1 December 2011
http://www.wanganuichronicle.co.nz/news/babys-tragic-death/1193670/
23 Nov 2011 "...the shift in today's guidance, to formalise a woman's right to choose a ceasarean, was in part justified by the change in scientific evidence about the relative risks of caesareans, which now suggests that overall the risks are similar to vaginal delivery."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/reality-check-with-polly-curtis/2011/nov/23/health?fb=native
Mums REALLY being listened to in the UK!!! C-Sections being allowed as a choice - 23 Nov 2011
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15840743
Mums REALLY being listened to in New South Wales! - 20 Oct 2011
http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/women-to-become-bosses-of-baby-movement-20111019-1m81e.html
West Coast without obstetric cover - October 12th, 2011
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/health/news/article.cfm?c_id=204&objectid=10758554
Mother recognised for maternity battle - 6 October 2011
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10756890
Is there an obession with natural childbirth? And at what cost? UK Daily Mail, 4 Oct 2011
A warning for "Baby Wearers" - 20 Sept 2011
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/mp/10296355/sling-warning-after-baby-death/
" ...a drive to persuade Chinese women to give birth in hospitals, rather than at home, had been hugely successful." Sept 16, 2011
Recognition for our Founding member and Spokesperson, Jenn Hooper - 11 Sept, 2011
http://www.mpa.org.nz/finalists-announced-for-the-2011-next-woman-of-the-year-awards/
AIM sees inadequacies in Referral Guidelines - August 22nd 2011
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE1108/S00084/more-deaths-and-injuries-predicted.htm
Children's Commissioner is 'outraged' and complains about N&S magazine mock-up cover picture but says nothing of the appauling (but true) content - 17 August 2011
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10745578
Dutch women abandon homebirth system 'similar' to NZ - August 7th 2011
Jenn's interview with Susan Wood - 30 July 2011.
Janine on Channel 9, Dunedin - July 29th 2011. NOTE: To clarify the facts, 14% of these babies died needlessly. That's 98 parents that took home an empty carseat. A third of the 14 mothers that died were also preventable. Neither this report of any other show the needless damages and disabilities left behind each year, but a few can be found in Our Stories and also in the Charley's Angels slideshow on the homepage.
http://www.ch9.co.nz/node/15128
July 29th 2011 - Whilst we applaud the fact that maternity is becoming more of a priority, throwing money blindly at an as yet unseen target is not the answer.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/5358864/Birth-statistics-in-Waikato-alarming
A tick for better cohesion between the different skill sets - July 2011
http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/news/5340767/Drop-in-caesareans-a-tick-for-midwives
AIM features in some American satire - July 2011
http://www.themamatao.com/?p=442
Jenn discussing the North & South article on Newstalk ZB - July 14th 2011
North & South answers their critics - July 2011
July 2011 - It's disappointing that the choice of cover picture can bring on more disgust and outrage than needlessly dead and disabled babies - shame on you NZCOM.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10738247
AIM and THE article from August's issue of North & South magazine - FULL PDF VIEWABLE HERE:
http://publicaddress.net/assets/NS0811midwivesopener-1.pdf
Got a couple of minutes to spare? Forward to 3 minutes 25 seconds for Jenn's question to John Key - July 2011
AIMing at the top! - July 2011
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/5255946/PM-earns-comparison-with-Abe-Lincoln
A system that looks after it's most vunerable? - May 2011
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/5051759/Luanas-tragic-tale
$54.5m to add to the $103.4m from 2009 (which is yet to materialise), yet still no full Perinatal Database - May 2011
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/politics/159076/budget-deliver-parents-and-babies
"A baby in a growing twisted body" - April 2011
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/4922954/Help-for-helpless-Kurtis
An example of our "robust and reliable accountability system"? - April 2011
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/4895805/Third-suspension-for-midwife
The Lancet page which has all the articles and commentaries from the article below. After a simple registration process, the articles are able to be accessed in full and for free.
http://www.thelancet.com/series/stillbirth
NZ's stillbirth rate amongst the highest in the developed world. Stillbirths occur ten times more frequently than cot deaths, and that doesn't include the damaged babies - April 2011
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/health/news/article.cfm?c_id=204&objectid=10719156
The launch of AIM - March 2011
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/4826654/Group-aims-to-make-maternity-services-safer
UN 'staggered' by NZ's infant mortality rates - January 2011
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/child-abuse/news/article.cfm?c_id=146&objectid=10700895
"...midwives' prescribing is some of the worst and they're the hardest to track down" - Dec 2010
The 'Hooper' petition - NZ Doctor, November 17,2010
"It's a quality and safety issue" - Nov 2010
The funding for a second midwife at a homebirth is already paid out (whether they attend or not) - November 2010
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/4301071/Coroner-urges-backup-midwives
November 2010 - "NZ College of Midwives' Nelson-Marlborough chairwoman Andrea Vincent said the college already recognised the need to have a second midwife present during a home birth. "There's nothing new in that," she said." And yet, no-one ensures it happens.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/4302561/Don-t-go-it-alone-midwives-told
Jenn mets Pippa Wetzel on Breakfast TV, celebrating the Health Select Committee Recommendations - October 2010
http://tvnz.co.nz/breakfast-news/breakfast-tuesday-october-19-3840381/video
'Invisible Babies' Deaths Preventable - October 2010
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10680820&ref=rss
Waikato Times article regarding the latest PMMRC report on deaths of mothers and babies - October 2010
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4240111/Babies-deaths-may-be-avoidable
The latest report from the Perinatal and Maternal Mortality Review Committee and makes for sobering reading. You can read the full report here:
http://www.pmmrc.health.govt.nz
Mary Casey, Christchurch Midwife - Sept 2010
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4146828/Name-suppression-lifted-on-midwife
A similar system to what we have been lobbying towards since 2009 - August 2010, Australia
Another sad case of a lack of basic care - July 2010
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/3932452/Charlotte-eases-couples-pain
July 2010 - Let's not confuse the Midwifery First Year in Practice with supervision and experience...
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/3953639/Minister-looks-at-midwife-training
The story of Adam Barlow - July 2010
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/birth-tragedy-highlights-midwifery-flaws-3656912
Medication error for newborn baby - July 2010
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/3880846/Newborn-given-drug-in-error
Article comparing Canterbury's high C-section rate to Counties Manukau's low one - July 2010
Article regarding Counties Manukau's very high death rate for babies - March 2010
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/counties-manukau-dhb/news/article.cfm?o_id=48&objectid=10630254
"Without any experience, they are practising on people's lives. It's not safe." - December 2009
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/3168973/Del
Jenn on Radio NZ soon after making our presentation to the Health Select Committee - Sept 2009
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/national/ckpt/2009/09/09/calls_for_urgent_review_of_maternity_system
A member of our network making her voice heard. From Channel 9, Dunedin Television:
The mother of a Dunedin child affected by Cerebral Palsy that was caused due to complications and inadequate professional treatment at birth, is calling for a review of midwifery systems in New Zealand.
http://www.ch9.co.nz/content/review-midwifery-systems-new-zealand-connected-local-story
Jenn’s article in the Waikato Times
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/2905296/Mum-fights-good-fight-over-birthing-bungles
Interesting article out of Australia
Deanna and Timothy’s tragic story, featured in the Waikato Times late August, 2009
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/2813410/Family-tragedy-must-spark-changes-mum
Dead baby's family let go of fight - July 2009
http://www.rotoruadailypost.co.nz/local/news/dead-babys-family-let-go-of-fight/3900851/
Jenn with James Coleman, Radio Live, Tuesday June 23 2009
Jenn on Sunrise, TV3, discussing the petition
The founding members go to Wellington, TVNZ One News, Monday 22 June 2009, meeting with Tony Ryall, Minister of Health
http://tvnz.co.nz/health-news/lobby-group-urges-review-maternity-services-2793137/video
NZ Herald Article
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10580199
Christchurch Press Article
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/2525023/Mums-petition-Govt-for-review
TV3 Article
TVNZ Article
http://tvnz.co.nz/health-news/call-maternity-system-inquiry-2789733
NZCity.co.nz Article
http://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/article.aspx?id=101552&fm=newsmain,narts
Charley’s story from 20-20, TVNZ, Thursday 16 April 2009
To watch:
To read:
http://tvnz.co.nz/20-20-news/coming-up-20-20-the-baby-business-2640313
Death of overdue baby, Midwife charged with professional misconduct - Article from March 2009
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10561754
Babies Stillborn As Signs Missed - March 2009
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/1756588
"What we should all be trying to do is making sure these things don't happen. We all play a part in that" - Karen Guilliland, January 2009
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/163678/Blame-not-answer-in-babys-death
Baby dies after early discharge - January 2009
"NZs maternity system is an 'unfortunate experiment' from which the rest of the world will learn" - January 2009
http://www.listener.co.nz/commentary/another-unfortunate-experiment/
...in hospital, "the chances are the baby would have been rescued" - December 2008
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington/763777
Newborn suffers brain damage due to lack of feeding support- November 2008
http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/735288
October 2008 - Nothing has changed that would make this article any less relevant today
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/689295/Midwife-care-in-NZ-slated
"Without proper data, assurances that everything is satisfactory are meaningless" - October 2008
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/opinion/676275/Midwife-reporting
Care given to mother and child was "deficient in several respects" - October 2008
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10537438
Maternity services 'on low priority' - October 2008
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10536743
Mother scalded during labour - October 2008
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/673061
"...the coroner finds issues with the system, and they just disregard it" - July 2008
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington/517796
"How many tragedies are there needed before there is action, and not just another report?" asks opposition health spokesman Tony Ryall - July 2008
'Divisions in Maternity Care' - July 2008. Is "risk-averse" for newborn babies really a bad thing?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/524566
An example of grieving families left without adequate support - June 2008
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10516253
Mother warns of Homebirth risks - July 2007
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/34293
Another family devastated by "a multi-system failure" - March 2006
Delay leaves baby severely disabled - March 2006
Tony Ryall's opinion when he was in opposition certainly seems to differ when he is in office... Feb 2006
http://theyworkforyou.co.nz/portfolios/health/2006/feb/16/maternity_services
How many more babies will die before the Government realises that the current system is flawed?" - Tony Ryall, Feb 2006
Midwives' "fear of medical intervention" led to access problems in hospitals - February 2006
Differing accounts of cause of damaged baby after birthing pool birth - September 2003
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=3523742
Tribunal rules couple can sue over baby's death - November 2001
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=229517
Article regarding the death of a Wellington baby, NZ Herald - March 2001
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=177440
