Czech Republic prepare
for EU by banning midwives

PRESS RELEASE
December 13, 2003

The Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic passed the Act on Non-Medical Professions in the third reading yesterday. The
majority of Czech MPs decided that in our country the independent profession of midwife should not exist in the future and that after the EU accession of the Czech Republic women should be referred exclusively to the monopolist care of doctors when selecting the caregiver during pregnancy, at birth
and after birth and that midwives should be subject to medical indication.

"The parliament decision is hardly understandable" says Ivana Königsmarkova, the chairwoman of the Czech Association of Midwives. "If the Act is passed in the Senate as well, no midwife who is not a pediatric nurse at the same time will be acknowledged competent to perform her profession
independently without medical supervision because the Act stipulates one-month internship on neonatal units. But according to the current legislation a midwife is not allowed to work on such units.

The approved version of the act is in
conflict with the international definition of midwife, with WHO recommendations as well as with European directions and will result-when
adopted in the wording proposed-in the act preventing the free movement of Czech and foreign midwives' labor force and also mutual recognition of
qualification which was repeatedly criticized by the EU Commission. I do not believe this is a definite decision," says Königsmarkova.

The MPs decided on the liquidation of independent midwives' profession despite the results of the public opinion poll from 2000 by STEM Agency
revealing that 20 % of Czech women giving birth for the first time and 25% of mothers with children under 1.5 years of age see the medical model of
obstetric care as unacceptable. If these women do not have the right of choice after the adoption of the act it is to be expected that many of them will not observe the law as they consider it wrong.

"If women all over Europe have the right of free informed choice why should not Czech women have the same right after the EU accession of our
country?" asks Olga Gajicova, the executive director of Aperio - Health Parenting Association. She adds: "The Aperio office is often contacted by women inquiring about the services of private midwives and seeking socially oriented, individual care without unnecessary interventions for their
pregnancy. If the lawgivers are deaf to these women's needs the issue is likely to be judged by the International Court in Strasbourg."

More information:

Aperio-Health Parenting Association
Truhlárská 20
110 00 Praha 1
phone/fax: +420 222 317 867
aperio@aperio.cz
www.aperio.cz