Types of Childbirth and Important Considerations

Childbirth is one of the most sensitive medical processes. Women are often very anxious during this time and are always looking for ways to experience less pain and risk. Today, the general knowledge of people about medical topics has increased compared to the past, and especially women place much more importance on their health than before. Since pregnancy and, ultimately, childbirth are an inseparable part of most women's lives, attention to this matter is of great importance in the field of medicine. In fact, the health of mothers after childbirth is one of the indicators used by the World Health Organization (WHO) to measure the health level of a society.

Given that women are often concerned about issues that may arise after childbirth (such as body shape, cesarean scar, sagging abdomen, etc.), the question of what methods are available for childbirth and which one is the best often comes up. Since childbirth is a major stress for women and the health of both the mother and the baby is at risk during this process, finding better solutions to reduce the complications of childbirth has always been a concern for doctors and researchers.

In this article, we will discuss the most basic and newest methods of childbirth and compare the risks, consequences, and advantages of each. This way, women can choose the most suitable method for their delivery based on their specific goals and desires and discuss it with their obstetrician.

This method refers to the common natural childbirth that occurs physiologically in the body of a woman during labor. In this method, the doctor or midwife does not perform any specific actions; they only monitor the labor process to ensure it proceeds correctly. The doctor intervenes only if a particular danger threatens the mother or baby. In natural childbirth, the mother has no limitations regarding position and can give birth sitting or standing. It is even said that if walking reduces the pain or relieves the mother's anxiety, she can walk freely. Any action that may reduce the patient's stress is recommended during labor. For example, if the person calms down by drinking something, they are allowed to drink juice or water, and they are regularly advised to take deep breaths during labor. The mother's mental calmness during labor has become an important focus in recent times, and many healthcare centers now allow the patient's partner to be present during labor to provide emotional support.

Vaginal delivery is the most common and safest type of childbirth. When referring to vaginal delivery without the use of pain relief or medications to initiate or accelerate labor, it is often referred to as "natural childbirth." Some pregnant women may prefer to use medical assistance, such as monitoring the baby's heartbeat, during labor.

1. Forceps Delivery: Sometimes doctors must use forceps to assist in delivering the baby's head and facilitating its exit from the birth canal.

2. Vacuum Delivery: Similar to forceps delivery, in vacuum delivery, the doctor places a vacuum cup on the baby's head and gently uses it to pull the baby out of the birth canal.

3. Episiotomy: This is a surgical incision made in the tissue between the vaginal opening and the anus (called the perineum) to enlarge the birth canal during delivery. It was once believed to prevent larger tears during delivery, but recent studies have disproven this theory. Today, many doctors only perform an episiotomy if it is necessary for a faster delivery.

4. Amniotomy: Commonly referred to as "breaking the water," this involves the doctor puncturing the amniotic sac with a small plastic hook to release the amniotic fluid.

5. Induced Labor: This refers to a situation where the doctor induces uterine contractions before they begin naturally, usually for the health of the mother or baby.

Water birth is a relatively new method that has been practiced in European countries for several years. It was previously only in the research phase. In recent years, there has been growing interest in this method in our country, especially among younger women. In this section, we will explain how this type of birth is done and mention its advantages and disadvantages.

Method: As soon as the mother begins to feel labor pains, she enters a water tub (about 45 cm deep). This helps reduce pain, and the mother gradually begins to push to aid in the baby's exit.

Advantages: This method significantly reduces the pain during childbirth. While it doesn't completely eliminate pain, it does provide relative pain relief. Moreover, no specific drugs or anesthesia are administered to the mother, which is a major benefit of this method.

Disadvantages: Water birth requires specialized and advanced medical equipment to monitor the health of the baby, such as using a sonicator to monitor the baby's heart rate. Unfortunately, this method has not been very successful in our country due to the lack of necessary facilities in hospitals. Despite its relatively recent discovery, it has gained many supporters worldwide. However, one major concern, even in developed countries, is ensuring the water is clean enough. While the water is sterilized, there are still concerns about infections that could be transmitted through the water.

Vaginal delivery is not always possible. Sometimes, a cesarean section is necessary for the health of the mother and baby, especially in the following cases:

• The baby is in a breech position (head not down) or transverse position.

• The baby is too large to pass through the birth canal.

• The baby is under stress.

• Multiple pregnancies.

• Placenta previa (placenta blocks the cervix).

• The baby is not growing well.

• The umbilical cord is around the baby's neck before delivery.

• Placental abruption (the placenta separates from the uterus wall).

• A history of previous cesarean section.

Types of Anesthesia for Cesarean Section: Cesarean sections can be done under general anesthesia or local anesthesia (spinal or epidural). Experts generally prefer to avoid general anesthesia unless absolutely necessary, as the anesthetic drugs can pass into the bloodstream and potentially affect the baby. Additionally, the anesthesia drugs remain in the mother's system for some time, which could cause drowsiness and affect breast milk. These issues are not present with spinal or epidural anesthesia, where the mother remains awake and alert, allowing her to hold the baby immediately after birth.

Conclusion

Pregnancy is one of the most sensitive stages of a woman's life and should be treated with special care. Childbirth is the final stage of this process. Therefore, it is recommended that women consult their obstetricians and follow their advice throughout this entire journey.