Fewer maternity wards that allow birth, but more ” security “ AND “supervision”Despite the shortage of caregivers: a Senate report calls, on Wednesday, September 11, for “transforming the delivery of perinatal care,” in front of a “degradation” in France indicators on the health of mothers and newborns.
After good results at the beginning of the 21st centurymy century in terms of perinatal health (from pregnancy to the child’s first birthday), France has today “More deaths of newborns and babies” than many European countries. France is thus ranked 22ndmy infant mortality ranking, warns this informative report, prepared at the request of the parliamentary group in the Senate RDSE (Democratic, Social and European Grouping).
“Beyond six months of pregnancy, one baby in every hundred is stillborn or dies during its first week” and 7% of births are premature, which represents a significant “burden of care” to the hospital. Physical and psychological complications are also more “frequent” among mothers, this document points out.
“Fragility” of healthcare provision
Among the identified causes are the increasingly later age of pregnancy, the poor health of mothers (obesity, gestational diabetes, precariousness, etc.), but also the “fragility” care provision. The rapporteur, Véronique Guillotin (PR), regrets the lack of intensive care beds, often incomplete care equipment, “closures” unexpected temporary jobs due to a lack of staff, or even greater risks, in the event of complications, in certain establishments.
It points to the decline in the birth rate (-20% since 2010) and the increasing demand for births. “less medicalized”estimating the current network “inappropriate” needs, resources and security requirements.
It is necessary “assume” is “transformation”not on the basis of the activity threshold of maternity units as before, but on the basis of a “assessment of structures and needs” territorial, he argues. The rapporteur calls for specific maps and indicators to be established in order to move towards “Less technical platforms”but in “high level of security”including a “plurality of birth plans”.
This must be accompanied by a “Improving the provision of emergency medical transport”integrating perinatal health professionals, and “strengthening the local offer” for prenatal and postnatal follow-up, it recommends.
The report also recommends: “Ensure the number of professionals (obstetricians-gynecologists, pediatricians, anesthesiologists-intensivists, midwives) by providing more training” and in “improving the attractiveness of racing”. It also advocates a review of the 1998 decrees regulating practices, “strengthening birth monitoring rates”with a gradual entry into force. Finally, it defends the guarantee, throughout the territory, of a minimum “one neonatal intensive care bed for every 1,000 births”.
