In case you haven’t heard, Saturday July 7, 2007 (yes, 7-7-07) is the first ever Global Day of Prayer for Birth.

Let us all join together in prayer tomorrow for these and any other issues the Lord lays on your heart–and expect him to do mighty things!

Glory to God

The Lord to be magnified through pregnancy and childbirth
Families to draw closer to God through the pregnancy and birth experience
Fear of the childbirth process
Churches to develop ministries for expectant families
Churches reaching out to meet needs of expectant women in their community
Christian birth professionals to demonstrate God’s love and unity

Medical Issues

Personal and professional lives of doctors, midwives and nurses
Access to skilled birth attendants - whether limited by law or geography
Good leadership for birth centers and hospitals
Access to safe birth options
Appropriate use of technology for childbirth
Families to understand their options for childbirth
Appropriate access to surgery for childbirth
Decrease in mortality rate for moms and babies
Prevention of the common and easily treatable causes of maternal and infant death
Decrease in the premature and low birthweight rates
Infertility and miscarriage

Political and Legal Issues

Access to midwifery care in all communities
Access to safe homebirth in all communities
Access to birth according to the CIMS (Coalition for Improving Maternity Services) guidelines
Improvement of bad infrastructure: poor sanitation, no access to healthcare
Stronger laws to protect women from violence
Prenatal care for all women

Health Factors

Prevention of maternal malnutrition
Prevention of maternal obesity
Support for mothers addicted to drugs or cigarettes
Support for abuse survivors
Help for expectant mothers suffering from AIDS
Help for the babies of drug abusing or AIDS suffering mothers
Prevention of Malaria
Prevention of miscarriage and infertility

Social Factors

Reduction of inappropriate teen pregnancy rates
Support for the families of pregnant teens
Support for single mothers
Strength for fathers to be with the mother
Removal of unhealthy pregnancy superstitions and customs
Ending of forced, coerced, bullied or required abortions
Adequate training for childbirth assistants
Access to a variety of childbirth professionals
Strengthen families
Support for families who have lost a child (born or unborn)

Environmental Factors

Adequate sources of food
Clean water
Safe places to give birth
Protection for women in natural disaster areas
Trained midwives for rural women

Post-partum Factors

Assistance for new mothers
Health and safety of unwanted babies
Comfort for mothers in crisis
Mother and baby bonding
Safe access to adoption
End to baby trafficking
Increased support for breastfeeding mothers
Mothers to receive accurate information about breastfeeding
Support for mothers suffering from post-partum depression
End to Malaria, Diarrhea, SIDS and other problems that kill infants