Childbirth

Childbirth Then & Now

  • Childbirth in earlier times was said to be “a struggle with death” for both mother and baby.
  • 17th and 18th century France, a woman had a 1 in 10 chance of dying while or shortly after giving birth.
  • 19th century England and Wales, an expectant mother was almost 50 times more likely to die in childbirth than a woman giving birth today
  • 20th century United States, moved from home to the use of medical, maternity hospitals.
  • 98.7% of babies in US are born in hospitals
  • There is current movement and trend to also have assisted homebirths, or maternity friendly birthing centers
  • 20th century childbirth
    • Dramatic reductions in risks surrounding pregnancy in industrialized countries
    • Availability of safe anesthesia, antibiotics, blood transfusions, improved hygiene, drugs for inducing labor
    • Improvement in assessments of prenatal health
    • Not risk free - new and unique challenges that have risen over the years
    • Increased maternal age, chronic health conditions, put those at greater risk
    • Increased medical intervention, sometimes unnecessary, higher rates of caesarean section

Birth Experience

  • Birthing Options
    • Locations: hospital, birthing center, home
    • Attended by: physician, midwife, doula, labor coach
    • Delivery:
    • Pain relief: epidural, non-pharmacological treatment, breathing techniques
    • Vaginal or cesarean

Homebirths

  • In many other countries, much higher percentages of babies are born at home.

Homebirth Statistics:

  1. Nationwide, planned home births have roughly twice the rate of infant death as hospital births.
  2. Babies in planned home births are more likely to have seizures or neurological    problems, although these are still very rare.
  3. Of first-time moms choosing home birth, up to 37 percent transfer to a hospital, largely because the baby is unable to move through the birth canal.
  4. Planned home births end up with fewer cesarean deliveries (53 births per 1000 compared to 247 per 1000 hospital births).
  5. Risk highly depends on your situation and prior health variables

Methods of Childbirth

  • The typical method of childbirth is vaginal delivery.
  • However, cesarean delivery is also used.
  • Cesarean delivery: the delivery of a baby by surgical removal from the uterus.
  • Cesareans are commonly performed when labor progresses too slowly and/or when the fetus seems to be in distress
    • Failure to progress in labor
    • Can occur when the baby is in breech position, baby’s head is too large, or other complications occur.
    • Prevent anoxia
    • Anoxia: insufficient oxygen to the fetus or newborn.
      • Can develop during contractions and can cause brain damage.
  • Cesarean deliveries carry risks of serious complications for the mother, such as:
    • Bleeding
    • Infection
    • Damage to pelvic organs
    • Post-operative pain
    • Heightened risks of problems in future pregnancies

Birthing Complications

  • Oxygen Deprivation
    • Cerebral palsy: a variety of impairments in muscle coordination resulting from brain damage before, during, or just after birth.
    • A cause of cerebral palsy is anoxia, inadequate oxygen supply during labor and delivery.
    • The greater the oxygen deprivation, the poorer children’s cognitive and language skills in early and middle childhood, although many improve over time.
    • In respiratory distress syndrome, the lungs of a baby born more than six weeks early are so poorly developed that the air sacs collapse, causing serious breathing difficulties.