More resource information on specific topics can be found at the links below.
Home Birth: An annotated guide to the literature
This bibliography is offered as a resource for clinicians and others (researchers, educators and policy makers) who must, within their own context for work, assess the quality of the available evidence on planned home birth, for the purpose of clinical decision making or to contextualize the current international debate on safety, access, ethics, autonomy, and resource allocation with respect to birth place. This document was originally developed in 1997 for the primary author’s personal use in her clinical and academic work. Over time updated versions (2002, 2004, 2007, 2010) informed the development of clinical practice guidelines for various North American maternity professional associations, and served as a resource in midwifery, medical, and nursing educational institutions. As the requests and self-generated distribution of the document expanded, it became clear that a more comprehensive, formalized approach to updating the literature search and reporting results was necessary. In 2011, additional authors and external reviewers were recruited, and a search strategy for annual updates was formulated. To facilitate continued access by those readers who regularly utilize it, the authors decided to self-publish in electronic and print formats and provide open access to the bibliography.
Lead: Saraswathi Vedam, Associate Professor, Division of Midwifery, Department of Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine, UBC, saraswathi.vedam@midwifery.ubc.ca
Co-investigators: Laura Schummers, BSc, PhD student; Kathrin Stoll, BA, MA, PhD; Colleen Fulton, BA, MA, BMW student.
Home Birth: An annotated guide to the literature – October 2013
Home Birth: An annotated guide to the literature – October 2013 – booklet form
Childbirth Connection: Transforming Maternity Care
In 2008, Childbirth Connection convened a Vision Team of innovators in maternity care delivery and health systems design to define the fundamental values, principles, and goals for a high-quality, high-value maternity care system. The resulting consensus document, 2020 Vision for a High-Quality, High-Value Maternity Care System serves as a focal point to inspire improvement strategies, and formed the basis for the Blueprint For Action: Steps Toward A High-Quality, High-Value Maternity Care System:
- Performance measurement and leveraging of results
- Payment reform to align incentives with quality
- Disparities in access and outcomes of maternity care
- Improved functioning of the liability system
- Scope of covered services for maternity care
- Coordination of maternity care across time, settings, and disciplines
- Clinical controversies
- Decision making and consumer choice
- Scope, content, and availability of health professions education
- Workforce composition and distribution
- Development and use of health information technology (IT)