title: Social Media, Power, and the Future of VBAC.
abstract: The Internet has been called a disruptive technology because it has shifted power and altered the economics of doing business, whether that business is selling books or providing health care. Social media have accelerated the pace of disruption by enabling interactive information sharing and blurring the lines between the "producers" and "consumers" of knowledge, goods, and services. In the wake of the National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference on Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) and major national recommendations for maternity care reform, activated, engaged consumers face an unprecedented opportunity to drive meaningful changes in VBAC access and safety. This article examines the role of social networks in informing women about VBAC, producing low-cost, accessible decision aids, and enabling multi-stakeholder collaborations toward workable solutions that remove barriers women face in accessing VBAC.
authors.affiliation: AMY M. ROMANO is a midwife, mother, and author of the Lamaze research blog , Science & Sensibility. She coordinates blogger outreach for Lamaze International and won the 2010 National Advocacy Award from the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services for her social media efforts. She is co-author with Henci Goer of the second edition of Obstetric Myths versus Research Realities and co-editor of the ninth edition of Our Bodies, Ourselves, both due out in 2011. HILARY GERBER is a third-year osteopathic medical student at Nova Southeastern School of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Lauderdale-Davie, Florida. She is a predoctoral research fellow currently investigating evidence-based birth, pregnancy, and birth interventions. She writes the Mom's Tinfoil Hat blog (www.momstinfoilhat.wordpress.com) and is a regular contributor to the Mothers In Medicine blog (www.mothersinmedicine.com). DESIRRE ANDREWS has been part of the International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN) for 6 years, is the current ICAN President, and is a 2VBA2C (two vaginal births after two cesareans) mother. She is also a childbirth educator, labor doula, childbirth-educator trainer, birth blogger, and public speaker.
authors.forename: Amy M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.forename: Hilary
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gerber
authors.forename: Desirre
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Andrews