Unassisted childbirth

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Unassisted childbirth, also known as free-birth, is childbirth without the aid of a medical attendant, either midwife, obstetrician or medical doctor. There may be others present at the birth, but they are not engaged to perform in a professional capacity. It is a controversial practice; its proponents hold it to be natural and inherently low risk, while others consider it unacceptable because of the possibility of medical complications.

1 Low risk view
2 Higher risk view
3 Prevalence
- 3.1 Australia
4 References
5 Related
6 External links
- 6.1 UC Discussion Groups

[edit] Low risk view

Birthing at home, where a child's very first sights, sounds and smells are comfortable and familiar is highly valued among many women who have chosen this path. Unassisted childbirth has been practiced throughout the ages. There is a growing movement of women who are choosing this option even where alternative or modern conventional choices are available. At home a woman has the choice of laboring in any position she wants; standing, squatting, on all fours, even walking, or leaning against a wall or spouse. In the hospital positions are often dictated by the medical staff.

Birthing in privacy has long been practiced by mammals and other living creatures as they seek a quiet, safe environment in which to bring their young into the world. Many people are familiar with the process as they have witnessed domesticated animals perform this same birth ritual, intuitively withdrawing from a populated area to do what comes naturally. Studies show that many of the birth complications experienced by humans (and animals) in a conventional medical setting can be attributed to interventive techniques which actually cause more harm than good. However, it is also difficult to determine the degree of problems which may arise as a result of intervention on an individual case by case basis.

In industrialized societies, home birth is statistically among the safest choices for lowest rate of birth-related complications and infant mortalities. Cesarean section (as with most major surgical procedures) is ranked highest in risk for both mother and baby. Often, the emphasis in both public practice and the media is placed on the perceived risks of a natural birth versus medical intervention -- neither of which can be conclusively proven to be true in each and every individual birth scenario.

[edit] Higher risk view

"The World Health Organisation estimates that the rate of caesarean sections at between 10% and 15% of all births in developed countries compared to about 20% in the United Kingdom and 29.1% in the United States. In 2003, the Canadian caesarean section rate was 21%, with regional variations."

"Concerns have been raised in recent years that the procedure is frequently performed for reasons other than medical necessity. While many obstetricians report caesarean rates over 30%, traditional midwives regularly report a cesarean rate lower than 10%, with a decreased risk of maternal and infant morbidity and no increase in mortality (Gaskin 2003)."

"Note, however, that different providers may disagree about when a caesarean is required. For example, one obstetrician may feel that a woman is too small to deliver her baby, another might well disagree. Similarly, some care providers may be much quicker to cite "failure to progress" than others. Disagreements like this help to explain why Caesarean rates for some doctors and hospitals are much higher than are those for others."

Thus, there are those who may view a ten-fifteen percent rate of significant medical intervention as too high a risk for women to attempt an unassisted childbirth.

[edit] Prevalence

[edit] Australia

The prevalence of unassisted childbirth in Australia is rising owing to the policy of State and Territory governments closing smaller maternity units and attempting to centralize birth in large hospitals. Women, particularly from regional Australia, are refusing to travel the large distances required to give birth in a medical setting and are preferring to birth at home. Whilst most home births are attended by midwives, the lack of insurance available for midwives in Australia has reduced the number of midwives available and willing to offer a home birth service. This has prompted a rise in free births.

[edit] References

Moran, Marilyn (1981). Birth and the Dialogue of Love. Terra Pub. 0940128012.
Bradley, Robert A., Ashley Montagu (1996). Husband-Coached Childbirth : The Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth, 4th Rev edition, Bantam. 0553375563.
Morgan, Laurie Annis (2003). The Power of Pleasurable Childbirth: Safety, Simplicity, and Satisfaction Are All Within Our Reach. Writers Club Press. 0595265464.
Parvati Baker, Jeannine (2001). Prenatal Yoga and Natural Childbirth, 3rd edition, North Atlantic Books-Consumer Hlth. 1556433824.
Wainer Cohen, Nancy, Lois J. Estner (1983). Silent Knife : Cesarean Prevention and Vaginal Birth after Cesarean (VBAC). Bergin & Garvey. 0897890272.
Kaplan Shanley, Laura (1994). Unassisted Childbirth. Bergin & Garvey. 0897893778.
Griesemer, Lynn M. (1998). Unassisted Homebirth: An Act of Love. Terra Publishing (SC). 0966106601.
La Leche League International (2004). The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, 7th Rev, Plume. 0452285801.