Thinking that there are different types of childbirth may not sound logical at first, but the reality is that there are many different ways to give birth. The advancement of medicine has also contributed to the diversity and understanding of the possibilities that exist in this process.
In the same way, a greater awareness of what pregnancy and the woman’s body means, from philosophical aspects, have modified medicalized interventions to the extreme. This gave rise to the appearance of variants based on the natural and with the least possible incidence of external individuals, such as doctors. In this article on kidsrush.com, you will read about varieties of childbirth methods.
6 types of childbirth
We are going to focus on 6 types of childbirth to explain them. This classification is somewhat artificial in certain aspects since, in strict terms, the baby can be delivered by only two routes: vaginal or abdominal (cesarean section).
In any case, the vaginal form does not have a single modality, as well as the cesarean section. Let’s see, then, the characteristics of each shape.
Vaginal delivery with medical intervention
As its name implies, this type of delivery occurs when the baby is delivered through the mother’s vagina. It is the natural route of expulsion, both of the child and the attached structures, such as the placenta. Remember that the incision made for the cesarean section is a surgical procedure.
Medical intervention has to do with certain therapies and protocols that are applied to reduce the risk of complications. This is something that the medical associations of each country and the ministries of health have to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality.
The delivery takes place in a controlled hospital environment, with an intervening team that usually consists of a physician, midwife or obstetrician, nurses, and neonatologists. A set of established steps are followed and parameters are monitored often, with the possibility of applying regional anesthesia, for example.
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Natural delivery
Natural childbirth is a type of birth that follows the vaginal route but is based on a principle of minimal intervention by external agents to the process, such as the medical team. This does not mean that security decreases, but rather that it seeks not to influence deliberately.
It is common for a figure called a doula to participate. These are people who have been trained to accompany the process specially. They assist the mother in her mobilizations, without using analgesic or anesthetic medications, they prevent the woman from lying down all the time and give her freedom in decisions.
Several countries have legislated this care under a humanized delivery law. It establishes the rights of mothers to choose this method of approach that focuses on them, and that is not based on medical impositions that constitute some form of obstetric violence.
Read Also: Choosing between cesarean section or vaginal delivery
Waterbirth
One modality that has gained ground in recent times has been childbirth in water. It consists of expelling the baby vaginally in a liquid medium. To do this, the mother remains submerged in a pool designed for this purpose.
The scientific foundation is valid and corroborated. The child passes from one liquid to another and the woman also benefits from hydrotherapy, which reduces the pain of contractions, as well as the effort of the expulsive phase, by counteracting the gravity of other positions.
This type of delivery can be performed at home or in clinics that are adapted for it, with rooms that have swimming pools for this modality. This does not void medical supervision or accompaniment by doulas. [1]
Delivery by induction
Labor can be carried out vaginally after an induction, which consists of the application of medicines designed to stimulate contractions and delivery of the baby. The most common situation for which it is decided to induce is the gestation that exceeds the stipulated time for the probable date.
The woman is admitted and the medical team places, intravenously, vaginally, or orally, pharmacological substances that cause contractions. At the same time, the dynamics of the uterus, the baby’s heart rate, and the mother’s blood pressure are monitored and controlled. If induction is successful, labor occurs normally.
If certain hours pass and there is not enough dilation, the contractions do not reach expulsion or the baby is at risk, we proceed to a cesarean section.
Scheduled cesarean section
Cesarean delivery is the delivery of the baby through the mother’s abdominal area through surgical intervention. This surgery can be scheduled knowing the probable date of delivery and the obstetric conditions of the pregnancy.
The indications for a cesarean section are many, and it is even specified in women who make the decision not to go through vaginal delivery. Medical societies urge that the procedure be reserved for clinical situations that warrant it and that it means comfort, neither for the woman nor for the doctor.
Emergency cesarean section
The pregnancy may be complicated and leads to an emergency clinical picture, which would merit removing the baby to save the life and also to avoid complications in the mother. If labor does not start or is dangerous to carry out in this perspective, an emergency cesarean section will be performed.
The situations that lead to this intervention are, for example, severe maternal infections with high fever, premature spontaneous rupture of membranes that is not accompanied by contractions, or eclampsia. The decision to perform it is a delicate one, as it is still a surgery with its risk factors.
Each type of childbirth has its peculiarities
Different types of childbirth have benefits and risks. The choice, or the fact that one happens instead of another, does not imply that there is a better way. C-sections are not natural, but they are often the only way to a smooth outcome.
If you are pregnant, you must talk to your obstetrician about labor and cesarean section whenever you can. From the beginning of pregnancy, the mother’s intentions and the options available must be clear.
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