The idea of a ‘natural birth’ denotes to the excellent home births or even labour without any medical interferences. Nonetheless, the numerous benefits of natural birth mean that it can be safe and fulfilling for many women and their babies and has, at times in its promotion, left behind the realties and some of the associated risks. We cannot overemphasise the role of technological interventions within modern medicine today so it explains why flexibility of birth plans for both mother and child are essential.
Understanding Natural Birth
Natural birth is a birth that does not include the use medications or any modern medical procedures for birth. Of particular importance, proponents of natural birth argue that it takes less time to deliver than medical interventions, enhances a woman’s power and control, and is cheaper to fulfil than medicalizations. However, the term can sometimes set the tone for unrealistic expectations and additional unhealthily pressure for mothers on this strict process of feeding regardless the circumstances of their health condition or otherwise.
Birth risks
However, underpinning ‘positive’ mentality about natural birth, it is essential to pay attention that any birth is associated with risks regardless of the chosen approach. Depending on when the complication arises, the mother may end up having to develop a cesarean section, the baby may experience foetal distress, excessive bleeding may occur or even infections may surface. For example preeclampsia or placenta previa usually need an elective C-Section because adverse outcomes may occur.
The problem is that the fallacy is based on the idea that normal birth is always safer or better. As a matter of fact, the best birth plan is the one that is safe for a particular individual and mother considering health status, medical history and other factors that may be in place; and it is a birth plan which permits any intervention in case of an adversity.
Role of Medical Interventions
Contemporary childbirth management presents a number of technical procedures, which have attained an impressive decrease in the Maternal Mortality Rate and Neonatal Mortality Rate. Epidurals help to eliminate pain, so mothers do not require a lot of energy to reach the final part of labor. Labor induced drugs that are commonly used to speed up labor include oxytocin and these help in speeding up a slow progress of labor to avoid the woman getting extremely tired or the foetus being distressed. C-sections are safe for mothers and babies where normal delivery may prove to be dangerous to the life of the mother or the baby as well.
Further to this, antenatal tests and close monitoring throughout labour bring to light issues that could arise and constantly ensures they are controlled. This is especially important as in cases like concerning foetal heart rate is abnormal and the foetus is distressed which requires urgent action.
Safeguarding Health and well-Being
It is therefore important to take childbirth with a lot of knowledge and seriousness because the health of the mothers and the new born babies depend on it. This includes appreciating the need for medical interventiveness at certain instances, but respecting the women’s desires.
- Informed Decision-Making: Women who are pregnant should be fully educated on the advantages as well as the demerits of various birth plans. Making sure to seek care from healthcare providers who are knowledgeable sources of valid information, and who can comfort your concerns as you make informed decisions.
- Personalized Birth Plans: One flexible strategy in establishing birth plans is essential. A mother certainly would want a normal birth, but she has to be prepared to be induced or to have a C-section in case of complications. Birth plans that are individualised and which include preferences along with what may be medically necessary can go a long way in controlling expectation and eliminating needless stress.
- Support Systems: There is need of partners, relatives and especially the health providers to provide encouragement and support during the delivery. This involves acknowledging the mother’s instructions, giving a lot of encouragement as well as being ready to change strategies.
- Postpartum Care: It is just as vital as offering special care to new born to offer the same to women after giving birth. Subsequent visits, emotional care, and help with breastfeeding are helpful to a speedy recovery and an excellent health status.
The Role of Appropriate Medical Care for Mothers and New-borns in the Present Generation
Today, it is important to attend the condition and needs of mothers and babies, so that they would have proper medical treatment in case needed. The dynamics in medical science and health systems have tremendously enhanced reproductive health through reduction in the indexes of maternal and neonatal mortality, despite current socio-political barriers in healthcare facilities especially in the developing world. Here’s why it is essential to prioritize quality medical care for mothers and new-borns today:
Reducing Maternal and Neonatal Mortality
Perhaps, the main incentive behind the proper medical care is a lowered Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Ratio. Various factors which are associated with pregnancy also with birth and the period following childbirth can be dangerous both for mothers and their infants. Major causes of maternal deaths include preeclampsia, postpartum haemorrhage and infection while major causes of neonatal deaths include preterm birth, birth asphyxia and infection.
Qualified doctors, appropriate treatment and adequate antenatal and postnatal care significantly emphasize and help in preventing these complications. This means that women should visit hospitals for prenatal check-ups frequently, so that any complications may be noted and address early enough. Safe delivery practices and new-born care assistance minimize the dangers that are related to child birth.
Promoting Healthy Development
A good childbirth and early childhood medical care is very crucial to the growth of the child’s health. Antenatal care also involves diets, and protection against certain diseases and specific deformity through vaccination and checking on the baby genes respectively. New-borns need to be taken for medical examination as soon as possible because they need to check whether or not they have a good transition from the womb. This includes observing vital signs, performing New-born Metabolic and Genetic Screening and immunizations if any.
Proper encouragement before breastfeeding, proper nutrition and health check-ups frequently in the initial years of their growth are essentials for the growth and brain development of the child. It is therefore important that any upward deviation from the normal developmental pattern or realized health status be addressed at the earliest convenience.
Improving Quality of Maternal Health
The condition and health of mothers will determine the health of infants during their first few months. Pregnancy and delivery may be very demanding to women physically, emotionally, and psychologically, adequate medical care for mothers guarantees them support during their delicate times. This includes is antenatal conditions such as gestational diabetes and hypertension, for pain during labor, and the postpartum period.
The postnatal period also requires close attention in the first week after birth; it assists the mother to recover from childbirth and care for any problems, breastfeeding, and bonding with the new born. Protection and promotion of the health of mothers will increase the capacity of the mother in facilitating proper care of the baby in a friendly world for both the mother and the baby.
Tackling health disparities
In developing countries however there are still differences in access to healthcare thus; there is high maternal and neonatal mortality amongst the disadvantaged. The medical provision of adequate postpartum care and neonatal care is an issue regarding health disparity, the capacity that should be equally available regardless of social class, geographical location or ethnicity.
It is important therefore to continue working on the enhancement of healthcare systems and availability of qualified healthcare practitioners as well as providing efficient and affordable and accessible health care services in order to work on these inequalities. Other approaches that can be used includes; working through community-based organizations and mobile health clinics.
Promoting Sustainable Positive Health and Socio-economic benefits
Improving the health of mothers and new-borns has a long term overall health and economic impact. The improvement of the health of mothers and babies ensures that they have healthy productive lives which can benefit their families or the community. Less mortality and morbidity in mothers and new-borns mean lower associated costs on the part of health care delivery systems, and a healthier population.
Also enhanced family planning and reproductive health in ladies should be encouraged and seeking proper medical check can help improve their reproductive life. This in turn leads to enhanced maternal health that in turn contributes positively to health demographic change thus promoting sustainable population growth.
Steps taken by the Government of India for the Protection of Mothers and New-borns
The Government of India has embarked on various policies and strategies in relation to maternal and neonatal health with a focus point on the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in women and infants. These interventions are done under RMNCH+A approach in an attempt to offer services that are related to reproductive, maternal, new-born, child and adolescent health in different stages of their lives. Here are some key initiatives:
Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)
JSY, is a demand promotion and conditional cash transfer programme instituted in 2005 focuses on encouraging institutional delivery. The program offers monetary incentives to pregnant women to favour institutional facility deliveries than home deliveries especially those women from the low earnings. It has also helped to boost the institutional delivery since many women and babies can avoid complications during delivery.
The Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram programme (JSSK)
JSSK that commenced in 2011, covers all pregnant women and sick infants of up to one year of age, who deliver in the public health facilities to receive free and no–expense delivery, inclusive of cesarean sections. The scheme also includes free of cost medicines, disposables, food during the hospitalization, diagnostics, and blood transfusion if any. The full package guarantee that every mother and her new-born baby require has the right care and is not financially drained in the process.
Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA)
PMSMA offers pregnant women fixed day, cost free, guaranteed and quality ANC session with a specialist / medical officer on 9th of every month. This health care strategy will therefore strive to reach out to these high risk pregnant women with the appropriate care they need in order to minimize complications during childbirth. The extra visits as part of the expanded PMSMA incorporate additional payment to high risk pregnant women and their ASHA companions.
Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Days (VHSNDs)
VHSNDs are seen to offer maternal & child health services and educate the public & spread knowledge on maternal & child care/nutrition. These days are co-ordinated with Ministry of Women & Child Development so that Communities get holistic care for their Health education.
Reproductive And Child Health (RCH) Portal
The RCH portal is web enabled tracking system for pregnant women & New born for continuing tracking of regular and complete packages of service such as antenatal care, institutional delivery & postnatal care. They even provides the care givers with the best tools they require to assess and manage the health of the mothers and new-borns conveniently.
Safe motherhood booklet and mother and child protection (MCP) Card
The MCP card and Safe Motherhood booklet are provided to the pregnant women to inform them on relative dietary pattern, the recommended sleeping pattern, what to look out for that may endanger the pregnancy, the benefits which pregnant women are entitled to, and institutional deliveries. These resources are useful in supporting the informative needs of mothers to enable them make right choices for their own and their babies’ health.
Facility-Based New-born Care
The government has established Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) and Special New-born Care Units (SNCUs) at medical colleges and district hospitals to provide specialized care for sick and small babies. NBSUs are established in FRUs and CHCs to support and manage sick and small born babies. Mother care is given at facility level as well as community level to all Low Birth Weight and pre-term new-borns and involves exclusive skin-to-skin contact of the new born with the mother or any family member.
Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (SUMAN)
SUMAN strives for affordable, courteous, professional, non-negotiable and free care for every woman and new-born in all the public health facilities. This is an exercise that considers the elimination of all avoidable maternal/neonatal mortality while providing a good birth experience.