An article appeared in the International Birth Jounal :

Babies born by elective caesarean are almost 2½ times more likely to die within their first month than babies born vaginally, researchers have found, adding weight to the argument that caesareans should only be carried out in emergencies.

Is there any argument that caesarean should only be done in emergencies? We are made to procreate bring up our offspring and then die. We are not bulldogs (yet) and the motivation for most people planning to get major surgery to get their baby out is fear. Who wouldn’t argue that?

The study, published in the international journal Birth, only included women who had not had a previous ceaesarean; were giving birth to a single baby which was head down in the cervix; were between 37 and 41 weeks gestation and had none of the 16 common risk factors, such as diabetes or hypertension,associated with birth complications, in a bid to ensure that only low-risk births were evaluated. It found the mortality rate for babies born vaginally was less than one in 1000 births while the rate for elective caesareans was 1.73 per 1000. A professor in obstetrics and gynaecology at the Australian National University medical school, David Ellwood, said the risk was still very small. “We have enough evidence now to know that caesareans should only be done when there is a medical indication, but when you look at the overall risk here,it is not that high “.

How would this look if we changed the word ceasarean for the word homebirth. Do you think the last comment would read the same? NO it certainly wouldn’t, it would read that the risk is unacceptable and totally outrageous. Where does David Ellwood get off .

The clinical director of women’s and children’s health at the Sydney South West Area Health Service, Andrew Child, said the study should be treated with caution.

“It’s been done by statisticians, not obstetricians or midwives,” This is a statement I am definitely going to keep in mind in the future.

This article says everything sensible people already know, going into labour and birthing naturally triggers all the physiological processes needed to safely birth your baby and giving the optimum chance to make it into the world and flourish. Why even in the light of this do we accept throw away comments from Obs and observers minimising all risk unless of course the woman exercises her right to stay at home?

Related posts:

1. BBC NEWS | Health | Caesarean ‘raises womb-tear risk’
2. Article in Australian
3. Is caesarean birth a better option?
4. Blaming Women
5. Should Medical Students Deliver Babies