Unadulterated Me
June 18th 04, 12:07 PM
(Pinched from Hope on the ICAN list)
http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story.jsp?sectionid=1258&storyid=1494010
Pregnant pause for new mums
By TORY MAGUIRE Political Reporter
June 18, 2004
PREGNANT women are risking their unborn babies' lives by trying to delay
birth until July 1 to get the Government's new $3000 baby bonus.
Some hospitals, including Royal Prince Alfred, are booked out for planned
caesarean sections on the first two days of next month as expectant mothers
scramble to extend their procedure dates to get the allowance.
Doctors are so concerned about the medical implications of the delays they
have asked Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott to bring forward the
payment's start date to avoid temptation for new mums, but the legislation
is set in stone.
RPA director of obstetrics and gynaecology Andrew Child said the hospital's
doctors had met this week to plan for the July baby boom.
"They are all a bit concerned that they are getting requests from pregnant
mothers to put off the date of birth to July 1," Dr Child said. "We would
always suggest that the baby comes first. It is not worth $3000 to put your
baby's whole life at risk."
About 10 per cent of pregnant women book in for a planned caesarean section
for a variety of medical and physiological reasons.
RPA books in about 15 planned caesarean sections a week.
Dr Child said the optimum time for a planned caesarean was in the week
leading up to the due date but some women were trying to book up to a
week-and-a-half later.
These women were specific about their wish to qualify for the $3000.
"Some women who should be giving birth next week are asking for it to be
postponed [until next month]," Dr Child said. "Once they go more than 10
days past their due date there starts to be risk to the baby.
"The timing of the birth is a pretty important thing from our point of view
so to start fiddling with it and adjusting for social reasons could start
all manner of problems.
"You have to explain the potential risks of waiting and what might happen,
the potential for problems."
Melbourne's Royal Women's Hospital has taken the drastic action of clearing
its bookings for the first week of July to allow for potential emergency
deliveries.
Dr Shane Higgins said some Royal Women's patients had rescheduled caesareans
and inductions booked for this month until after July 1.
But he said a bigger concern was some women booked for the end of June may
not show for their scheduled birth, hoping to hang on until July 1 and claim
the $3000.
"For a lot of women that's an enormous amount of money," said Dr Higgins,
the hospital's director of delivery suites.
http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story.jsp?sectionid=1258&storyid=1494010
Pregnant pause for new mums
By TORY MAGUIRE Political Reporter
June 18, 2004
PREGNANT women are risking their unborn babies' lives by trying to delay
birth until July 1 to get the Government's new $3000 baby bonus.
Some hospitals, including Royal Prince Alfred, are booked out for planned
caesarean sections on the first two days of next month as expectant mothers
scramble to extend their procedure dates to get the allowance.
Doctors are so concerned about the medical implications of the delays they
have asked Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott to bring forward the
payment's start date to avoid temptation for new mums, but the legislation
is set in stone.
RPA director of obstetrics and gynaecology Andrew Child said the hospital's
doctors had met this week to plan for the July baby boom.
"They are all a bit concerned that they are getting requests from pregnant
mothers to put off the date of birth to July 1," Dr Child said. "We would
always suggest that the baby comes first. It is not worth $3000 to put your
baby's whole life at risk."
About 10 per cent of pregnant women book in for a planned caesarean section
for a variety of medical and physiological reasons.
RPA books in about 15 planned caesarean sections a week.
Dr Child said the optimum time for a planned caesarean was in the week
leading up to the due date but some women were trying to book up to a
week-and-a-half later.
These women were specific about their wish to qualify for the $3000.
"Some women who should be giving birth next week are asking for it to be
postponed [until next month]," Dr Child said. "Once they go more than 10
days past their due date there starts to be risk to the baby.
"The timing of the birth is a pretty important thing from our point of view
so to start fiddling with it and adjusting for social reasons could start
all manner of problems.
"You have to explain the potential risks of waiting and what might happen,
the potential for problems."
Melbourne's Royal Women's Hospital has taken the drastic action of clearing
its bookings for the first week of July to allow for potential emergency
deliveries.
Dr Shane Higgins said some Royal Women's patients had rescheduled caesareans
and inductions booked for this month until after July 1.
But he said a bigger concern was some women booked for the end of June may
not show for their scheduled birth, hoping to hang on until July 1 and claim
the $3000.
"For a lot of women that's an enormous amount of money," said Dr Higgins,
the hospital's director of delivery suites.