While the vast majority of Houston women give birth in hospitals, some choose to have their child in a birthing center, or even at home. According to the CDC, the number of home births is rising, though still just over one in a hundred choose to have their children outside of a hospital.
When a woman does give birth at home or in a birthing center, midwives typically provide primary care. And not just during the birth itself. They oversee prenatal care, then assist with the birth, and check in on the health of the mother and child afterwards.
On this edition of Houston Matters, we’ll learn about the practice of midwifery in Houston and the differences between in and out-of-hospital births.
Also this hour: we’ll welcome your general children's health questions for pediatrician Dr. Mfon Ekong. She's an assistant professor of pediatrics at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. We welcome just about any question you may have about your child's health and well-being. Think of it as a chance to talk to your family doctor...without the co-pay.
Plus: A conversation with actress, singer and dancer Rita Moreno. Her wide-ranging credits and numerous awards (she’s one of eight living “EGOTs” – she’s won Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards) underscore an eclectic career on stage and screen. Moreno will appear in Houston Thursday night at a fundraiser for the Houston Arts Alliance. We’ll discuss her advocacy for the arts in education, challenges facing Latino entertainers, and her varied career, from West Side Story to the landmark public television series The Electric Company, to her appearances with The Muppets, to her dramatic turn on the HBO series Oz.
