2. Methods to be used to answer research questions, including population to be studied, data collection methods, and statistical techniques to be used.

   The population to be studied will be child bearing women in the state of Alabama who chose home birth between the years 1980 to 2000 including their midwives and childbirth educators.

   I intend to survey midwives in Alabama concerning the amount and type of childbirth education and information they provide to clients. This will be followed up with a study of Alabama birth certificate data for the years 1980 to 2000 to obtain information concerning birth outcomes during this period of time.

   The statistical techniques I intend to use will include descriptive and inferential methods using population, sample, and parameters to determine relational standard deviations.
 

Sources of information:

Data from Centers for Disease Control - www.cdc.gov

• New CDC Report Tracks Trends in Cesarean Births and VBACs during the 1990s - Dec 27, 2001- by Fay Menacker, Dr. P.H. and Sally C. Curtin, M.A.
• New Report Revises Birth and Fertility Rates for the 1990s Uses 2000 Census Population Estimates to Improve Accuracy -
• Preliminary number of live births by State
• National Center for Health Statistics - www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/map_page.htm