ACOG Steps Up the Anti-Homebirth Game

If ACOG were a dog breed, it would be a pit bull - tenacious and aggressive when threatened.


Their latest tactics include soliciting failed homebirth stories, with or without negative outcomes, via their website. It speaks volumes about their commitment to impartial, evidence-based policies backed in rigorous research evidence, doesn't it, that they aren't also asking for statistics on successful homebirths. It's a one-sided petition that suits their politics perfectly.


From the ACOG site:

Reporting of Unsuccessful Attempts at Home Delivery with or without Adverse Consequences

In 2006 there were 24,970 home deliveries reported in the United States[1]. Obstetrician-gynecologists and other members of the medical community may be faced with the presentation of an obstetrical patient who has attempted home delivery unsuccessfully. The need exists to quantitate the frequency and information of these events. The goal of this registry is to attempt to quantitate when home delivery is unsuccessful and what the outcomes are. To be HIPPA-compliant, no identifying information will be requested. Data points include the state of occurrence, as well as the month and year of delivery, maternal and gestation age, gravidity and parity and obstetric or neonatal complications. An attempt to identify the home attendant type if known will also be useful data.

ACOG appreciates your recognition of this issue and your utilization of this registry to assist us in data collection.

In a backlash they never saw coming, ACOG got data - just not the data they expected.


Their collection form was instead flooded with the positive homebirth stories of mothers nationwide who've had enough of their unfounded attacks on homebirth, midwifery and women's rights in general, and decided to fight back.


After this outpouring of positive homebirth support, ACOG put their submission form on a members-only, login page: http://www.acog.org/survey/hdComplications.cfm


Maybe they'll take the hint and put their self-interested policies locked far, far away from women, right where they belong.


If they do make the form public again, rest assured that the positive flood of homebirth stories will resume - they'll get the message one way or another, eventually.