Conference History and Upcoming Conferences

HISTORICAL:

• IN 2006, Betty-Anne and Ken presented on the limitations of Randomized Controlled Trials for studying obstetric and midwifery factors. BA presented on the optimistic value of creating a breech squad in every city, having hospitals co-operate on the notion but it fell on deaf ears, just as the article subsequently published in the JOGC suggesting the same thing and surveying hospitals across Canada with over 3000 breeches.

• In 2009, Betty-Anne organized the scientific program for an extremely successful two-day Breech Birth Conference and one-day Breech Birth Workshop in Ottawa that attracted over 250 midwives, OBs and mothers. The overall Conference was organized by the small but mighty Ottawa-based Coalition for Breech Birth. It really changed Ottawa because it was hard to ignore experts from around the world saying the same thing, "Let's Make Vaginal Breech Birth Available Again," but with a NEW APPROACH.

• Then, again with Betty-Anne as the scientific coordinator and the Coalition for Breech Birth, led by Robin Guy, we organised another 2-day breech conference in Washington, D.C. in 2012.

• In 2012 we were invited to speak at a breech conference in Sydney and travelled on to Melbourne and Warrnambool on the south coast of Australia, with Frank Louwen and Jane Evans: The world agrees: breech births not the risk they were.

• Betty-Anne has done workshops and presentations on breech birth at obstetric units or conferences in Argentina, Australia, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, and in the U.S. (in Denver, New York City, Portland, Oregon, Washington D.C.), and in Canada (in Calgary, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, and Winnipeg. She has also conducted full-day workshops at Ryerson University as well as Grand Rounds at Michael Garron Hospital, both in Toronto, Canada.