SPEAKERS BUREAU The Tatia Oden French Memorial Foundaiton offers presentations regarding the issues of maternal mortality, informed consent and the off-label use of drugs-specifically the use of Cytotec to induce labor. We strive to provide as much information as possible to as many people as possible regarding these issues. We believe that ALL known side effects of the various drugs and procedures used in labor and delivery, should be explained to women BEFORE they agree to these interventions. Without this information it is impossible to give fully INFORMED consent. We are presently scheduling presentations at labor classes, high school classes, radio talk shows and conferences where labor and delivery issues are discussed. To schedule a presentation please contact us at: zorah@tatia.org
FDA PETITION CAMPAIGN As an educational consumer group, the Tatia Oden French Memorial Foundation has written a letter to the FDA regarding Cytotec. We seek to have the FDA issue much stronger warnings to the public regarding the side effects of this "ulcer" drug, when used to induce labor. If you would like more information regarding the letter campaign please contact us at zorah@tatia.org On Nov. 22,2004 the petition and over 950 signatures were delivered to the FDA in Washington, DC. The petition can now be viewed and signed on line. To do so, please go to : www.petitiononline.com/cytotec. We deliverd over 2000 electronic signatures to the FDA in March 2007. The Cytotec Petition continues to gather signatures. Signatures will continue  to be delivered to the FDA until the petition is resolved. on line signatures now total over 2600. Visit the on line petition and view the comments.  Please visit and sign our petition.Please email us your contact information when you sign the petition if someone you know and love has had an adverse outcome when induced with Cytotec.  No one else is collecting this information on adverse outcomes for cytotec inductions.
Alameda County Public Health Commission : Informed Consent Pamphlet with Medical Intervention Insert The Alameda County Public Health Commission  has produced an Informed Consent Pamphlet which is now on line  along with a Medical Intervention Pamphlet  that can be downloaded and printed from the Alameda County Public Health Dept. website. The Informed Consent Pamphlet gives general information on decreasing the intensity of labor contractions and some questions to ask your health care provider. The Medical Intervention Pamphlet gives 7 medical interventions commonly used during labor and delivery along with the adverse effects on the mother or baby, or both. Both pieces are meant to stimulate discussion between the mom and her health care provider. They are also available in Spanish from the Alameda County Public Health Dept. Website.	FDA and The Tatia Oden French Memorial Foundation The FDA now has the petition which the TOFM Foundation submitted in its docket management system and OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. You can email the FDA with your comments regarding Cytotec being used off label to induce labor. The email address to send comments to is: fdadockets@oc.fda.gov The docket number to reference is #2004P-0522/CP1 The petition language can be found by clicking on the link below. Cytotec PetitionYou can also SIGN the petition on line at this site. In  2007 we delivered more signatures to the FDA. The petition now has over 2600 electronic signatures and comments regarding Cytotec induction. Please click on the above link to support this continuing effort.
The Safe Motherhood Quilt Project is a quilt started by Ina May Gaskin several years ago, to honor all the mother's who have died in childbirth in the US, or who have died do to pregnancy or childbirth related reasons. Ina May and the Tatia Oden French Memorial Foundation continue to collect the names and causes of the women in the US who have died in childbirth or for childbirth and, or pregnancy related reasons. Please contact either Ina May  at inamaygaskin@gmail.com , or the Tatia Oden French Memorial Foundation at momoden@sbcglobal.net if you have any information on any maternal death.  Accurate statistics on maternal deaths in the US are NOT kept in all states, so even though the World Health Organization in 2008 put the US at 41st in the world for maternal deaths....the real number is much higher. Help us make this known so we can reduce the numbers of women dying in childbirth.
The Dangers of Cytotec..... New Facebook Page   The "Dangers of Cytotec " is a Facebook page that has been set up which posts current articles and information regarding the dangers of using Cytotec ( Misprostol) to induce labor.  With over 1000 'fans' it posts comments from those who have witnessed the adverse events that can follow a cytotec induction as well as comments from those who are just plain blown away that it is even used.  Please check it out and let us know what you think. Just go to your facebook page and do a search for "Dangers of Cytotec".	The Foundation supports and is grateful for the existence of such organizations as ANACS (Association of Nurse Advocates for Childbirth Solutions) www.NurseAdvocates.net ,CIMS (Coalition for Improving Maternity Services), MANA (Midwives Association of North America) and the Safe Motherhood Quilt Project (an organization dedicated to reducing maternal death in the US and honoring the mothers who have died in childbirth and from pregnancy-related issues.) Note: for the links to CIMS,MANA and The Safe Motherhood Quilt Project, please see the LINKS page.