100 years ago, one doctor was very much like the next, at least in their base of knowledge. Medicine had not yet branched out into the specialities which are common today. Accordingly, a midwife was almost always a layperson with…
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Doctors, Midwives and Doulas
The large majority of the pregnant women reading this will have their babies in hospitals attended by obstetricians. However, for most women there are other options which are equally safe and may address your personal needs and philosophy.
Mother and Baby Health during Pregnancy
When women are pregnant iron requirements considerably increase. Iron is important to have good hemoglobin level, thanks to which oxygen is delivered to the cells in the whole organism. When you are pregnant, you have more blood and, consequently, need…
Episiotomy
Episiotomy is the procedure of enlarging the vaginal opening to accomodate the birth of the baby. With an episiotomy, a doctor or midwife cuts the perineum as the fetal head is about to be born. The perineum is the tissue…
Pain Relief in Labor
Only in some very rare individuals is labor not associated with considerable pain. The pain that most women experience during childbirth has been written and talked about for centuries. It makes quite an impression on almost all women. Most women…
Forceps and Vacuum Extractors
Occasionally, during the pushing stage of labor (second stage), a baby will be close to being born, but “not quite there yet”. This is often the most stressful time for a mother or baby. A mother may be exhausted or…
Hemorrhage
Throughout history, blood loss after delivery and its associated complications have accounted for more maternal deaths than any other reason except infection. This is no longer the case when a woman is cared for by a competent clinician supported by…
Shoulder Dystocia
In a small percentage of births, the baby’s shoulder will become locked under the mother’s pubic bone immediately after delivery of the head. The doctor or midwife may be unable to deliver the baby with the usual hand skills. Every…
Fetal Distress
Fetal distress is the term applied to the condition of the fetus who is exhibiting heart rate signs of poor oxygenation. Another synonymous phrase is “fetal intolerance to labor”. Both of these terms emerged with the advent of the electronic…
Cephalo-Pelvic Disproportion
“Cephalo-” means head, and refers to the fetus’s head. CPD refers to a fetal head which is too big to fit through the mother’s pelvic bones. Cases of true CPD will not result in vaginal birth. Borderline cases of CPD…