Note: If you are a would-be mother and your due date for delivery is still far off, you may want to first visit our page on Pregnancy.
Childbirth, as Healing Practice beautifully puts it, ‘is the peak experience of pregnancy culminating in labour and the baby being born; with most women preferring to have a natural birth and other women preferring or needing an assisted birth for various reasons. Childbirth is generally uncomfortable but bearable. It is, at the same time, a transformative experience that women dream about, imagine, fear and finally overcome, to give birth to their awaited baby‘.
1. Normal Labour
Normal labour is what ladies are designed to go through, and the majority of them do. Though not pleasant, it is a fulfilling experience because bringing your child into the world is worth all the pain. However, there can be exceptions when childbirth may not be possible through the normal process; and your obstetrician may give you the option of surgical intervention.
Raised blood pressure during normal labour
Blood pressure is known to increase, temporarily, in perfectly healthy individuals during physical exercise, childbirth (see Edwards, EM) or emotional excitement. In normal healthy persons, such temporary rise in blood pressure has beneficial functional value. When a healthy person has raised blood pressure for a brief period during exercise or childbirth, it actually facilitates better circulation of oxygenated blood to the exercising muscles. As such this normal raised heartbeat will not be diagnosed by any qualified and experienced physician as blood pressure disease and resort to surgical intervention. Doctors may, of course, come across cases of pathological hypertension, and then they would make considered decision for surgical intervention if it is absolutely necessary.
2. Complicated Labour
Any childbirth, which becomes abnormally difficult or complex is known as complicated labour. This would require expert medical intervention.
3. Caesarian section
This is surgical intervention to deliver a baby. Caesarian section is resorted to only when it is not possible to otherwise protect the health or life of the mother or baby or both. Your doctor is your best guide.
But you and your parents/husband must do some homework well in advance so that you are all fully prepared to intelligently cooperate with your doctor in such stressful times. As you are well aware, the physician cannot perform certain things on you without your or your guardian’s written consent; and it is in your own interest that such consent is given with full understanding.
Your homework
An important part of this ‘homework’ is to get to know, in advance, the possible harmful effects of C-section on the mother. VBAC.com is a great site for those mothers, would-be mothers, and their dear ones who wish to understand the pros and cons of natural delivery and C-section. BabyCenter gives excellent information on various stages of labour and delivery, whether speeding up labour is necessary, and at what stage certain medical interventions are resorted to, etc., in order for you to deliver your baby with the least invasiveness possible on your body. ‘Understanding the Dangers of Cesarean Birth: Making Informed Decisions‘ is a good book by Nicette Jukelevics, who specialises in childbirth research and education.
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