I never realized that there were so many complications when it came down to delivering a baby. I mean, I always knew that something could go wrong, but not that there were so many risks for both the mother and the baby.
It was interesting to see the history of childbirth and it's progression into today; to see how many ways there are now of delivering a child safely. Doctors can use "antiseptics, the forceps, blood transfusions, a drug (ergot) that could induce labor and contract the uterus after delivery to stop bleeding, and even, Cesarean section" (Gawande). The C-section is used more and more frequently, since it is easy to teach.
The Apgar score was something I had never heard of. "It allows nurses to rate the condition of babies at birth on a scale from zero to ten" (Gawande). This is observed and documented one minute and five minutes after birth, since the score can increase with increased oxygen and other factors. I wonder what doctors would do, if after five minutes, the baby was still rated with 5 or less points? Would they just leave them to die like they used to do? Or try to bring their rating up?
So I tried taking my bottom lip, and "pulling it as far away from my face as I could, and pull it over my head", and it hurt like hell. I agree with Erica. I always knew pregnancy was hard and took a lot of patience and practice and classes and breathing, but being in labor for 30 hours? Having processes like "effacement", or having an "obstruction of labor"? I can't even imagine. Knowing that someone hid a valuable tool to help baby birth for 3 centuries is mind-bottling to me. How is it that something so helpful and useful for young women in the 1900's, was kept a secret?
ReplyDeletel'm actually shocked by some of the things in these articles and can't wait until class to discuss them.
After I finished with these readings I felt as though I never wanted to have children. Although it appears that the conclusion that Gawande came to was the natural child birth was the safest option for both the mother and the child, there still were many risks. The more I read about the risks the more I felt myself cringing. What I did find the most interesting was that it seems as though the advancement of medicine and technology appears to be a bad thing in this situation. I feel as though normally we put a lot of faith into the medical system, but after hearing some of the reasons that doctors listed for reasons for performing a C-section, I think that we really have to wonder. Personally I would feel a lot more comfortable if I knew that there was a train professional in the room with me while I was giving birth, but I would hate to have to worry about them performing a procedure or giving me medicine just because that was the easy option. I think that women need to definitely look into all of their options well before their due date, and really be comfortable with the plan that they have set out and not deviate from that unless they or their babies risk suffering serious harm.
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