Dr. Mike Hargadon Supports a Woman's Right to Choose Home Birth

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dr. Mike Hargadon, candidate for Congress in District 7, questioned last month’s decision by the American Medical Association (AMA) to support proposed legislation that could outlaw planned homebirths.  “Is this about safety or better birth outcomes?  No, it’s about money and it’s about the AMA trying to protect its turf, plain and simple,” said Dr. Hargadon.  “Study after study has shown that births attended by midwives outside of a hospital are just as safe, and maybe even safer, than hospital births.”

Elaborating on why the AMA would support such legislation, Dr. Hargadon continued, “Midwifery is a fast-growing industry.  More families are choosing to have births attended by a midwife, rather than by an OB/GYN.  It also costs significantly less to give birth outside of a hospital setting.  So it comes as no surprise that the AMA would support making homebirthing illegal.  They’re losing money and losing market share.” 

Dr. Hargadon made it clear that he strongly opposes this attack on freedom and entrepreneurship.  “Here you have a group of women who are successful and doing what they love.  We need more of this in health care, not less.  Midwives are giving people what they want and doing it in an affordable way.  But the AMA wants to tell us it isn’t safe, and run these successful women out of business or make them subservient to AMA.  It’s blatantly sexist, it’s anti-freedom, and if this legislation passes, it will increase prices.”

Dr. Hargadon expressed relief that no legislation has been drawn up yet, but was wary about what the future may hold.  “My hope is that the Congress wouldn’t be so foolish as to try to legislate birth choice.  But if you want to know what Congress will do, just follow the money.  In this election cycle alone, the AMA Political Action Committee has donated almost $740,000 to Congressional candidates and other party committees.  My opponent, Congressman Elijah Cummings, has received $5000 in donations from them in the past four years.   So my fear is that the AMA has already bought this legislation.”

He ended on a personal note.  “Many families, including my own, have decided that they’re unhappy with the traditional hospital birth experience and find that midwives give them a better experience for low-risk births.  My first child was born in a hospital over 30 years ago, while the doctor was complaining about missing the Colts’ game and trying to induce labor.  So our next three children were born in the presence of midwives.  The births of those three, who were born at their own pace, were a much more beautiful life experience than a time management ‘problem.’”