91:. After her article on Normal Birth was published, a midwife called Soo Downe conducted research that showed that less than a sixth of first time mothers had a normal birth, that is a birth that starts spontaneously without drugs or intervention by doctors. This was a catalyst for the 2005 Campaign for Normal Birth by the
20:
71:
about the overuse of artificial induction and contacted the writer. Robinson suggested Beech join the
Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services (AIMS). AIMS had been set up in 1960 by Sally Willington in order to support women in achieving the sort of birth they wanted. In 1977, Beech
30:(12 November 1944 â 25 February 2023) was a Welsh author, chair of the Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services (AIMS) from 1977 to 2017 and an active campaigner against the medicalisation of pregnancy and birth. She raised awareness of the harm that can be done to women in
133:(NMC) and a member of the Midwifery Committee of the NMC. She was also a founder member of CERES (Consumers for Ethics in Research). Beech was supportive of younger birth activists such as those in the organisation named When Push Comes to Shove.
34:
during labour and the importance of women being aware of their rights so they can make their own decisions about the place and manner of the birth of their children. She also counselled for a more positive attitude towards
51:, Wales. She was the oldest of four siblings. Her mother was Josephine nÊe Wickland and her father was Charles Lawrence, a naval Lieutenant. She attended schools in Malta and Cornwall until the age of 16.
106:, which stood at some 30% of all UK births in 2019. She successfully challenged the policy of chaining women prisoners to their beds during labour. She was supportive of health care professionals such as
98:
Under Beech's chairwomanship, AIMS produced the 1997 Charter for
Ethical Research in Maternity Care and noted a gradual shift in the discourse of articles and statements towards discussion of
141:
Beverley
Lawrence married Geoff Beech in 1968. They later divorced and she married Gavin Robertson in 2003. Robertson died in 2009. Beech is survived by two sons.
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After the traumatic experience of giving birth to her first son in 1972, involving a 36-hour labour which she later found out involved an artificial
1016:
87:, and, successfully, for the admission of fathers into maternity wards. She organised the first international conference on the topic of
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was elected chair of AIMS and continued as chair for the next 40 years, campaigning for improvements to maternity services in the UK.
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This publication has been deemed useful for midwives and other professionals in the child birth team as well as for pregnant women.
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Beech, Beverly
Lawrence; Phipps, Belinda (2008). "Normal birth:Women's stories". In Downe, Soo (ed.).
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Beech, Beverley
Lawrence (1992). "Womens View of Childbirth". In Chard, T.; Richard, M.P.N. (eds.).
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power and the institution of independent midwife units, for an evaluation of the common use of
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Young, Diony (3 March 2009). "What is Normal Birth and do we need more statements about it?".
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Water Birth
Unplugged: Proceedings of the First International Water Birth Conference
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although this campaign has now been superseded by one calling for 'Better Births'.
950:"Jane Dean reviews Am I Allowed? by Beverley A. Lawrence Beech, published by AIMS"
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243:(2nd ed.). Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier. pp. 67â81.
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Who's having your baby? : a health rights handbook for maternity care
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63:
for no medical reason, Beech determined to act. She noticed a letter in
174:
Am I allowed : what every woman should know before she gives birth
84:
80:
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397:"Normal childbirth: Leading international debate, evidence and action"
102:. Beech questioned, less successfully, the rapid increase in birth by
598:
64:
669:
Beech, Beverley (December 1994). "A comment on
Ultrasound unsound".
855:"Caesarian Section or Vaginal Birth? What difference does it make?"
929:
When Push Comes To Shove The Free
Thinking Maternity Organisation
198:(1 ed.). Hale, Cheshire, England: Books for Midwives Press.
129:
Maternity Forum and of the
Professional Conduct Committee of the
76:
648:
Beech, B.L.; Robinson, J. (16 January 1992). "Midwife crisis?".
445:"Homebirth and the Regulator: An abrogation of responsibility"
348:"Women Making Waves: Jo Moseley & Beverley Lawrence Beech"
176:(4th ed.). Edinburgh: Birth Practice and Politics Forum.
716:
48:
901:"School of Nursing & Midwifery â Trinity College Dublin"
75:
Beech campaigned over several years for the restitution of
422:"Choice â an abused concept that is past its sell-by date"
574:"Letter: Pressures on doctors to 'cherry-pick' patients"
905:
School of
Nursing and Midwifery University of Dublin
787:"'Normal birth' campaign abandoned by royal college"
127:Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
983:
324:"Challenging the Medicalisation of Birth | AIMS"
83:research for enquiry into the widespread use of
231:Obstetrics in the 1990's:Current Controversies
647:
276:"In Memoriam: Beverley Lawrence Beech | AIMS"
241:Normal childbirth : evidence and debate
234:. London: Mac Keith Press. pp. 153â166.
977:Interview with Beech on Cambridge 105 Radio
550:"Unattended or Unassisted Birth in the UK"
110:who were vocal in their stand for women's
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157:(2nd ed.). London: Bedford Square.
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785:Desk, Nursing Times News (2017-08-14).
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192:Beverly A. Lawrence Beech, ed. (1996).
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877:"Pregnant women chained during labour"
736:"Normal Birth â Does it Exist? | AIMS"
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759:Beech, Beverley (23 September 2013).
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529:"10 minutes with .... Beverley Beech"
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1017:Women's health in the United Kingdom
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123:National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit
835:Scottish government official portal
765:Zero2 Expo Birthing a better future
761:"The backlash against Normal Birth"
554:The Association of Radical Midwives
443:Beech, Beverley (2 December 2015).
420:Beech, Beverley (1 December 2005).
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172:Beech, Beverly A. Lawrence (2021).
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497:"Beverley Lawrence Beech obituary"
14:
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151:Beech, Beverley Lawrence (1991).
1022:21st-century Welsh women writers
925:"Alternative Maternity Services"
622:Beech, Beverley (17 June 2003).
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449:British Journal of Midwifery
300:"Pressing for change | AIMS"
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28:Beverley Ann Lawrence Beech
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651:The Health Service Journal
117:Beech was a fellow of the
831:"Caesarean Section Rates"
119:Royal Society of Medicine
93:Royal College of Midwives
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16:Welsh author (1944â2023)
125:, a lay member of the
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47:Lawrence was born in
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222:Contributed chapters
599:"About AIMS | AIMS"
352:Cambridge 105 Radio
112:reproductive rights
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992:1944 births
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89:water birth
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959:2023-04-16
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886:2023-04-17
881:Statewatch
865:(1). 2002.
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259:References
85:episiotomy
81:ultrasound
67:penned by
43:Early life
32:obstetrics
536:The Doula
509:0261-3077
65:The Times
805:cite web
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532:(PDF)
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817:help
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505:ISSN
432:(4).
377:AIMS
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245:ISBN
210:OCLC
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
