Childbirth in the water is dangerous for the health of the child
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Now the birth in the water is becoming more popular. According to experts, this method of delivery allows you to reduce the level of stress experienced by a child in the process of birth, as well as to ease the bouts of the woman herself. However, many experts now question the benefits of staying in water during childbirth, they note that such a birth can be dangerous for the life and health of the child and mother.
Specialists in the field of medicine argue that there is no evidence that the birth in the water is good for the mother and the baby. In addition, they noted that this can be harmful and even lead to the death of the newly born. In her report, a group of researchers noted that birth in water can lead to serious problems in the newborn, in particular, infection, bleeding, drowning.
In the Academy of Pediatrics and College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of the United States, experts believe that doctors can not offer women such a method of delivery (exceptions can only be cases of experiments). In modern conditions, more and more maternity wards are arranging chambers for carrying out waterbirth. Also recently, women rent swimming pools for home birth. Proponents of such methods claim that in warm water the body relaxes, the woman calms down, which is especially useful for women giving birth for the first time. In addition, in the womb the child swims in the water, so birth into the water will be more familiar to him. But, despite this, experts recommend the fastest way to get the child out of the water in order to avoid infection, as well as getting water into the respiratory tract and drowning.
According to some reports, out of a hundred women, one gives birth in water. At the Royal College of Gynecology and Obstetrics, the United Kingdom believes that if the pregnancy goes on without complications, a woman can optionally give birth in water, but the United States has a slightly different opinion.
At this stage, there are numerous disputes about how safe (or dangerous) the birth in the water. Pregnancy experts from the United States insist on conducting additional studies aimed at studying the effects of water delivery. Simultaneously with this, experts recognized that at the first stages of labor the pool can really help a woman reduce pain and strength of contractions. They also noted that there was not enough research done to prove or disprove the benefits of being in the water during the fights and the appearance of the child.
Now there are data according to which after the birth the newborn has breathing problems (including drowning), convulsions, and the risk of severe bleeding and infection in a woman is also increased.
One of the few studies in this field showed that 12% of children born in water subsequently needed hospitalization and special care, which was not required by children born to the more familiar method.