Give birth as I say, how I say, and with whom I decide. Open letter of Midwife Sylvia Sosa.

My name is Sylvia Sosa. Midwife for 14 years, graduated from the School of Midwifery, School of Medicine, University of Uruguay (UdelaR).

I chose to become a midwife after my experience with the birth of my first child. Informed and aware of what it meant, with the father of my child, we chose to give birth "at home." It was an easy decision. I’ll be eternally grateful to the team of midwives who assisted me at the time. They made my birth experience unforgettable, it was the most empowering event of my life. We gave my son, Nico, the arrival and reception to this world that I, and his father, wanted for him. This was how I discovered midwifery, an art from all time, accompanying women during childbirth. We support and facilitate the experience. At that time I decided to enter this world so special and magical.

On Saturday, August 11, it was published an interview the newspaper “El Observador” made me regarding “Nacer Mejor”. This is an organization dedicated to pregnancy, birth and upbringing, which also works with home births.

Huge was my surprise to read a box at the end of the note, citing a phone call to Dr. Briozzo, undersecretary of the Ministry of Public Health which says: At the initiative of Obstetric Association of Uruguay, we are studying a regulation of professional practice (midwifery practice) and precisely one of the issues on the table is the prohibition of the exercise at home when planned. "This is a topic that is being discussed in the orbit of the ministry and could go by presidential decree"

My surprise was great, but greater still was my indignation. None of this is accidental. It is the continuation of the threat that the same Dr. launched last year, saying they were going to ban home births. At that time there was a strong response that this went against the right of every woman to decide how, where and with whom to give birth. A few days afterwards, he rectify that no one thought of a ban, but to discourage its practice.  Now back to the load, this time he is against the free exercise of the profession, exercised by those midwives who attend home births. As if something is not the same as the other ... and out talking about a presidential decree: Who has been an abuse of power so great?

With such presidential decree, the political power would deny assistance to those families who responsibly and freely choose a different model than the institutionally established for the birth of their children. Isn’t going against our human rights? Isn’t against my right as a woman to decide on my body?

It is very striking how Dr. Briozzo, devotes such effort to combat home births, when evidence-based medicine has proven to be a safe option for low-risk births. He should invest energy and time to develop strategies that alter perinatal obstetric outcomes of institutional births. How this ministry failed to reduce cesarean rates that are far exceed the internationally recommended by WHO?

I wonder if Dr. Briozzo would held responsible for the obstetric outcomes of women who choose to give birth at home but WITHOUT technical assistance.

A world in which prevail dignity and respect, in which women are treated with equal rights, mainly in the magic moment of the birth of our children, can never be ruled by any powers, neither the doctor nor the male, or the politician.

Only that this time they go to the load in partnership with the Association of Obstetric Uruguay. A real shame.

With what authority the Obstetric Association of Uruguay is working on a project of this nature without consulting midwives? With what authority a board consisting of a few colleagues, works on a project that delivers our free practice without consulting the other. Not to mention the lack of participation of the School of Midwifes itself, which is the academic responsible for our training?

The directors shall have powers to many things, but I think in no way includes developing with Dr. Briozzo a modification of this nature without the support of midwives in this country.

Our free exercise is historic; it's part of our profession since it exists. For years we have being displaced in our exercise, and cornered by submerged salaries from medical corporatism, which has been gradually removing many of our fields. I hardly attend births except public, while in private we don’t even do pregnancy checks.

And I wonder, midwives agree to deliver  our free exercise of the profession just like that?

I choose my free exercise for me and for all .... Free exercise allowing each to work the way you choose. 

Respect to those practicing in an institutional framework because they like, or because they do not look 

elsewhere ... but I defend my right to attend all those who come looking for a different birth for their children .... In their homes.

The historic site of the midwife has been next to women and families, accompanying one of the most important moments of their lives, which marks their future history, as women, as couples and as families.

This is not intended to be a discussion of childbirth at home. It’s a call for our collective consciousness.

It is no coincidence that in Argentina entered parliament a draft law banning assisted home births and that Brazil is on the same road. For me is a deep pain that in Uruguay this attempt is in complicity with my own colleagues.

I call to reflection and collective action:

• To request that the authorities of School of Midwives, take action on the matter.
• For all Uruguayan Midwives, to defend our right to free practice.
• For the members of the Association of Uruguay Obstetric convene a National Assembly where all midwives can decide.
• To collectively censure those colleagues willing to give our free exercise just like that.
• To request that this call be made widely available to all midwives in this country. I forward this to my colleagues, to be printed and show in every guardroom.
• For all women and their families to continue to defend our right to decide how, where and with whom to give birth to our children, in a safe and professional assistance.
• To make all the necessary political contacts so it doesn’t come true the actually mentioned Presidential Decree.

On this depends that our children and grandchildren can continue to born safely at home, depends our future as midwives and the future generations to come.

The International Day of the Midwife is on August 31, we should united in defense of our profession.

We should stop this collectively, once it come true it will be very difficult to reverse.

Thanks to spread this among all your contacts, especially to all midwives, women and politicians of our country.

A hug from my heart to any and all who dream of a better world.

SYLVIA

nacermejoruruguay@gmail.com

nacermejorsylvia@adinet.com.uy

See: http://www.elobservador.com.uy/noticia/230121/parir-en-casa