The Influence of Lamaze Classes and Delivery Room Presence on Paternal Attachment Behavior

The purpose of this research was to determine the significance of attendance of Lamaze classes and(or presence in the delivery room on paternal attachment behaviors. Seventeen white, first-time fathers, ages 20 to 35, were observed in the mother\u27s hospital room within 72 hours of birth using a modified paternal attachment tool. The behaviors observed included verbalization, inspection, holding, en face, smiling, and tactile response. Observations were scored on 30-second intervals for a total of 15 minutes. Fathers were then placed into one of the following groups: Group I (n 10) — Fathers from Lamaze classes and present in the delivery room; Group II (n=3) - Fathers from no classes and present in the delivery room; Group III (n 3) — Fathers from no classes and not present in the delivery room; Group IV (n 1) — Fathers from Lamaze classes and not present in the delivery room. Analysis of variance indicated no significant difference in individual or overall scores of attachment behaviors among the groups of fathers

Deplantation of the Placenta in Maternal-Fetal Vital Conflicts

In this essay, some of the signatories to Medical Intervention in Cases of Maternal-Fetal Vital Conflicts: A Statement of Consensus respond to The Placenta as an Organ of the Fetus: A Response to the Statement of Consensus on Maternal-Fetal Conflict, both recently published in this journal. The response examines Bringman and Shabanowitz\u27s claims and assumptions about the morally relevant pathologic condition in some cases of peripartum cardiomyopathy complicated by a subsequent pregnancy, the moral status of a normally functioning placenta, and the use of the principle of double effect in these cases. The signatories\u27 response sets out to demonstrate how Bringman and Shabanowitz do not engage the essential points of the statement of consensus and how their argument is premised on false assumptions

Medical Intervention in Cases of Maternal-Fetal Vital Conflicts

This statement articulates a consensus of participants in a colloquium organized and sponsored by Ascension Health. The purpose was to consider what, if any, clinical interventions would be consistent with the Catholic moral tradition in the event that a woman\u27s life is threatened because her body is unable to adapt to the changes associated with pregnancy because of a preexisting pathology. An example is peripartum cardiomyopathy in pregnancy. The consensus is offered for evaluating the morality of medical interventions in such cases and as the basis for developing clinical guidelines consistent with Catholic teaching and the standard of care. The colloquium participants agree that induction before viability to eliminate a grave and present danger posed by a life-threatening condition resulting from the interaction of a normally functioning placenta with diseased organs of the mother can be consistent with Catholic Church teaching and the moral tradition