Local Group Hosts Rally To Put Maternity Care In The Spotlight

A group called Improving Birth used this Labor Day to call attention to what they said is a healthcare crisis in the United States.

They hosted their third annual Rally To Improve Birth at the Guthrie Green, in downtown Tulsa. The mission was to spotlight maternity care, which they said is in a dire state in our country.

The group points to a high number of Cesarean section births as one indicator that care is shaped by factors other than what's best of moms and babies.

Organizers of the rally said the maternity care most women receive increases the risk of harm to their babies.

"When they know about all of their options, they can make decisions that are right for them, and in a lot of cases, protect themselves from harm,” said Missy David with Improving Birth.

Improving Birth participants said it's important to bring the humanity back to childbirth.

Rally participant, Brooke White said, "Before, I saw him, he was swaddled and had a hat on, so I saw about this much of him. And then he was taken out of the room and I was left alone. And so there wasn't, I didn't have that chance to bond with him.”

The rally was one of at 100 held around the country Monday.