GreenBirth was created in 2009, when there was very little impartial information for parents who were expecting a child. Fortunately, that has changed a lot. Parents today are not only much better informed, they also compare and appreciate the quality of individual birth support. They are more self-confident in clinics and have already made many a clinic team rethink their approach.

During the same period, midwives have become visible again in society, and not only as professionals who accompagny birthing women. In Germany a midwife has to be called by law to every birth. Midwives were able to assert themselves with their independent profession, which had been almost completely overshadowed by medicine, especially in out-of-hospital obstetrics. We note the strengthening of the midwifery profession, which benefits parents and children.

Many parents who inquired about an out-of-hospital birth after a disappointing hospital birth experience were able to find out that there are competent midwives for home births and midwives who manage birth centers with a profile that is worth seeing.
On our pages, mothers and fathers will find independent, comprehensive and individually useful information to help them orient themselves and find their own way. We expressly advocate a reform of hospital birthing management and high-quality, individualized support by midwives.

On our pages you will find independent, comprehensive and individual information to help you orientate yourself and find your own way. However, the place of birth is determined by the mother. She is responsible for her own health and that of her child. (Basic Law Article 2.2).

GreenBirth has three main goals:

1. we strengthen pregnant women/families in their competences and rights
2. we educate about the difference between obstetrics and obstetric medicine
3. we inform about physical and mental influences on the little children before and during birth

Many people of all ages are with us.
We invite you to browse and inform yourself on our homepage, e.g. in the birth ABC or in the other specialized topics.
If you miss something, please contact the board or us.

Founders of GreenBirth e.V.

Irene Behrmann 
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Eva-Maria Müller-Markfort  
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Dear reader,
GreenBirth e.V. is a non-profit association. We work voluntarily. GreenBirth deals with issues and observes developments around birth. In doing so, we as a board are in exchange with our members, who give us valuable impulses. We empower expectant mothers and fathers, especially when it comes to their rights as parents, women's rights* and the rights of their children before, during and after birth. We inform about the risks of obstetrical routine. We are critical. We take a stand.

- You can support our work through passive membership, i.e. by not actively participating as a member in what the association designs or carries out.
- You can become an active member and contribute your expertise by actively participating. Whether you would like to actively participate in the Board of Directors, for example, or rather support the work of the Board in the background, or participate in a project or an event, depends on your personal possibilities and wishes as well as the requirements of the association's work.
- You can donate.

Our work is manifold: We create articles, flyers, brochures, open letters and make sure that they reach the contact persons. In our statements we name undesirable developments and address them to the Health Committee of the German Bundestag, to ministries and political parties. An important instrument of our work is our homepage, which we constantly edit and maintain. We are supported in this by experts. Our website is visited monthly on average by about 6,500 interested people. We are active on facebook. We organize internal work meetings, especially the autumn meeting in addition to the general meeting in spring. A presentation of our networking can be found Networking.

Three examples of positive cooperation:
November 1, 2016: A member takes a photo of the DAK Health advertising poster, which encourages young couples to have paid 4D ultrasound pictures taken. This is a business with the lack of knowledge of expectant parents, because ultrasound is not harmless, especially in early pregnancy, but is risky for the baby's health. Is the DAK allowed to sponsor such transactions with 100,- €? GreenBirth turned to the DAK's supervisory authority after a rejection letter from the DAK.

2. a hastily photographed document was sent to us. A pregnant woman was to sign that she was not allowed to change doctors or consult a midwife during the quarter. On the basis of this evidence, the doctor's office received a warning. Our information to the Health Committee of the German Bundestag caused an opposition party to start a "small inquiry" to the federal government.
Now we have it in plain language: the change within a quarter between doctors and midwives is legal and solely the decision of the woman.
The corresponding article on our homepage was clicked on 693 times within 7 months. So 693 women or couples were confronted with this topic and were able to inform themselves.

3. a new member felt isolated in her neighbourhood with her concern. We planned an information week together, helped by sharing the costs and arranged for speakers.
Result: good response, great encouragement, contacts with like-minded people on the spot.
GreenBirth has been in business since 2009 and we are happy to be able to do something meaningful with our work. This inspires and helps us to cope with even the toughest procedures.

Without membership fees and donations our work is impossible. They can help us to contribute in making a difference for parents-to-be, their children and future generations. Every single activity is important. You decide if and how much you want to contribute annually and if you want to participate in GreenBirth e.V. with your interest, your abilities. The membership fee is tax deductible, because GreenBirth e.V. is a non-profit association.

*The § 218 to the abortion is constitutionally fixed. We very much welcome this.

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GreenBirth e.V.
IBAN: EN50 2579 1635 1581 8900 00
BIC: GENODEF1HMN