The majority of women and men are excited about being parents. However, many cou­ples are not prepared for the many physical and emotional changes that occur after the child is born. They may also find changes in their sex lives because of the responsibility and exhaustion that often accompanies parenthood. More Physical Changes for the […]

A fetus that dies after 20 weeks of pregnancy is called a stillbirth (prior to 20 weeks, it is called a miscarriage). There are many causes for a stillbirth, including umbilical cord accidents, problems with the placenta, birth defects, infections, and maternal di­abetes or high blood pressure (Incerpi et al., 1998). Oftentimes the fetal loss […]

For most women, the birth of a newborn baby proceeds without problems. However, a number of problems can arise, including premature birth, breech birth, cesarean section delivery, and stillbirth. Premature Birth: The Hazards of Early Delivery The majority of babies are born late rather than early. Birth that takes place before the 37th week of […]

During the third stage of labor, the placenta (sometimes referred to as the “afterbirth”) is expelled from the uterus. Strong contractions continue after the baby is born in order to push the placenta out of the uterus and through the vagina. Most women are not aware of this process because of the excitement of giving […]

After the cervix has fully dilated, the second stage of birth, the expulsion of the fetus, begins. Contractions are somewhat less intense, lasting about 60 seconds and spaced at 1- to 3-minute intervals. Toward the end of this stage of labor, the doctor may perform an episiotomy (ee — pee-zee-AH-tuh-mee) to reduce the risk of […]

In the United States, if the birth process is taking too long, physicians may administer the drug Pitocin to speed up labor. In Bolivia, however, certain groups of people believe that nipple stimulation helps the birth move quicker. So if a birth is moving too slowly, a woman’s nipples may be massaged. Biologically, nipple stimulation […]

Birth itself takes place in three stages: cervical effacement and dilation, expulsion of the fetus, and expulsion of the placenta. The beginning of birth is usually marked by an ex­pulsion of the mucus plug from the cervix. This plug protects the fetus from any harm­ful bacteria that might enter the vagina during pregnancy. Sometimes women […]

Although women can assume a variety of positions during childbirth, in the United States the majority of hospitals have a woman in the semireclined position with her feet up in stirrups. Some feminist health professionals claim that this position is easier for the doctor rather than for the woman and that it is the most […]

Inducing birth involves using techniques to artificially start the birth process. Usually this is in the form of drugs given in increasing doses to mimic the natural contractions of labor, although induced contractions can be more painful and prolonged than natural labor. Birth can occur anywhere from a few hours to several days after induction […]

In nonindustrialized countries, nearly all babies are born at home; worldwide, approxi­mately 80% of babies are (Dunham et al., 1992). For low-risk pregnancies, home birth has been found to be as safe as a hospital delivery (Johnson & Daviss, 2005). Oftentimes, home births are done with the help of a midwife. Proponents of home birthing […]