title: Safe and healthy birth: the importance of data.
abstract: In this column, the author reprises recent selections from the Lamaze International research blog, Science & Sensibility. Each selection discusses the mismatch between data commonly collected at the time of birth and the data needed to measure optimal care for physiologic birth. Selections include the importance of documenting duration of skin-to-skin contact after birth, the role of qualitative research in improving care in the second stage of labor, and pitfalls of meta-analyzing data on the safety of planned home birth.
authors: AMY M. ROMANO is a midwife, author, and advocate for mother-friendly maternity care. She has analyzed, summarized, and critiqued research for the Lamaze International community since 2004 and is currently co-authoring the second edition of Obstetric Myths Versus Research Realities with Henci Goer.
authors: Amy M
authors: AM
authors: Romano