Whatever the method of delivery employed, many experts believe that the baby always experiences some degree of trauma. From the safety and carefully-controlled environment of the womb the baby is forced into the harsh realities of the outside world, and it is hardly surprising that shock might be a concomitant of the baby's new ...
This is an operation to remove the baby from the uterus through an incision in the abdominal wall, thus short-circuiting the normal delivery process through the birth canal. In some situations the Caesarean is an 'elective' operation, that is, known about and planned in advance with the consent of all concerned. Elective Caesareans are ...
Obstetric forceps were first used about 400 years ago. The modern types consist of two blades, each curved to fit snugly around the baby's head, with edges contoured to fit the curve of the mother's sacral region. The blades have openings (windows) in them for lightness, handles by which they are manipulated, and catches ...
One of the critical stages during labour is when the baby's head passes down the birth canal and into the outside world. The head is large and the tissues surrounding the outlets of the vagina and rectum, called the perineum, must stretch considerably to allow its passage. In most deliveries the perineal muscles and skin ...
During labour a doctor or midwife keeps a check on the progress of mother and baby. Basic forms of monitoring their condition include recording the mother's pulse rate and blood pressure, the baby's position and pulse rate (using a foetal stethoscope), and the length and intensity of uterine contractions as felt through the mother's abdominal ...
A woman's body, or at any rate her pelvic organs, are designed to give birth. The normal, healthy female pelvis can easily accommodate a growing foetus and give birth to it safely. As mentioned above, in the past, and in some Third World countries today, many women were malnourished and suffered from rickets in childhood, ...
Although possible complications may arise when a woman is giving birth, it can be stated immediately that, because of the excellence of modern obstetric medicine, giving birth nowadays is almost without risk – much more so than it was in years gone by. It is likely that many protracted labours and deaths in the past ...
Although the idea that women must give birth flat on their backs has fallen out of favour in recent years, it is common hospital policy to deliver women in bed, propped against a pile of pillows. While this semi-upright position is better than lying down – especially when pushing – some experts believe that other ...
A woman having contractions may thus mistakenly believe she is in labour but, alternatively, the onset of labour can be so gradual that she is not aware of it. Little wonder, therefore, that many woman are concerned that they may not know when they are in labour – and may delay seeking medical assistance longer ...
Labour is an apt name for the usually hard and tiring process of giving birth. However, only the second stage involves active physical effort from the mother, and even this is not always necessary – some babies arrive without their mothers consciously pushing them out. The uterus, which is at that time the largest muscle ...