The Tatia Oden French Memorial Foundation is no longer a 501c3 non-profit organization, however it’s mission to educate, inspire and empower remains unwavering. Its dedication to empowering women, specifically in the area of childbirth and pregnancy spanned over two decades. It will always be dedicated to saving the lives of those giving life to others. The Tatia Oden French Memorial Foundation was foremostly focused on the issues of informed consent, the off-label use of drugs, and maternal mortality.
Letter from us to you:
The Tatia Oden French Memorial Foundation was a non-profit organization established to empower women around the issues of childbirth and pregnancy. Our main focus over the last two decades was on the disparities in maternal mortality, specifically for BIPOC women, the off-label use of drugs and informed consent.
According to the latest data by the World Health Organization published in 2015, the U.S. ranks 50th in the world in maternal deaths. That means that 49 other countries in the world have FEWER women dying in childbirth and from pregnancy-related issues than the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that approximately 2/3 of all maternal deaths in the U.S. GO UNREPORTED. This is unacceptable.
Many of these deaths are preventable. The Tatia Oden French Memorial Foundation believes that many medical interventions (like inducing labor and C-Sections) are not always needed nor necessary and subject the women to many adverse side effects. We believe that women should be FULLY informed regarding all the risks, side effects and alternatives involved in the various procedures and interventions that are used in childbirth, many of which have permanent adverse outcomes.
The objective of The Tatia Oden French Memorial Foundation was to inform and to educate. In this day and age, we need to be proactive regarding our own healthcare. This website was created for that purpose. Please join us in our efforts to reduce the maternal mortality rate in the United States. Read, question and stay informed by digging for information and then passing it on to others. Help us to save the lives of those giving life to others.
Sincerely,
The Tatia Oden French Memorial Foundation
Explanation of Commonly Used Terms
Maternal Mortality: When a woman dies during pregnancy, childbirth, or within the twelve-month period following childbirth, due to pregnancy-related issues.
Off-Label Use of Drugs: Once a drug is approved by the FDA it can be used by ANY doctor, for any reason. This practice is called “the off-label use of drugs. There is no mandatory reporting system for side effects of drugs used off-label.
Informed Consent: The Foundation believes that TRULY informed consent occurs when ALL the possible side effects of a drug or medical intervention are made known to the patient. Only then can a woman and her family make fully informed decisions regarding the use of these procedures and drugs.
Cytotec: A drug created for the treatment of stomach ulcers by Searle. Used off- label to induce labor by ripening the cervix. Also used as a component in RU486 (the “abortion drug”). Though it is not approved by the FDA for inducing labor, Cytotec has become the “standard of care” for inducing labor.
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