I want to know your views on the MANA stats project.
The Midwives Alliance's Statistics Project (MANAstats) collects data on birth and associated perinatal care and outcomes, focusing on out-of-hospital births attended by midwives. This data set is intended to support research on midwifery practice and normal birth with the goal of improving care of women and babies and increasing the choices available to childbearing families.
The project, in essence is attempting to compile a large database of midwifery outcomes.
There are several fundamental flaws I see initially in the reporting:
- First, where are the checks and balances? What are the controls in place to verify the accuracy of what is being reported?
- It is great that we can have provide our clients with our personal statistics and to see how we are practicing, but I am not certain how easily our outcomes can be manipulated. I realise that this is a difficult issue, as it is fairly accusatory and perhaps pessimistic. Not having faith in thy sister midwife to report honestly. But the question must be raised.
- Secondly, why is this information not made public? In order to gain access to the entire database, you must first, be a researcher, submit a research proposal (that must be approved) and then pay $50 to gain access to the stats.
- I see this as a significant issue. Why the need privacy and control over access? Is it for protection? Is it to prevent any anti-midwifery studies using "our" stats? Shouldn't our data speak for itself, and if there are problems, should they not be free and open to criticism so that we can better our trade?
These are just a few of the glaring incongruities of this project with the concept of statistics.
I would like to start an open discussion on this topic.
Are you as a midwife or student midwife contributing to this database?
Are you gaining any benefits?
Do you support this collection?
Do you think its beneficial?
Do you agree with my criticisms?
Just a list of possible questions to respond to.
