Child Birth Advancements
Childbirth itself has not changed at all! Babies are still born today in the same way that that they have been born for generations. But many things associated with childbirth have changed, including:
Women's expectations of childbirth
Pain management options
The economics of childbirth and the system of healthcare
The technology used during pregnancy and birth.
These factors have greatly changed women's childbirth experiences.Today, a woman having a baby in an industrialized nation can reasonably expect that both she and her baby will have a healthy journey through pregnancy and birth. Childbearing is generally safe and does not represent illness or disability. A hundred years ago, many women faced childbirth with some fear because they knew of …show more content…
This has created a culture where each pregnancy and baby generates intense attention.Expectations of pain management have also changed. One hundred years ago, most children throughout the world were born at home. Although many factors contributed to the movement of childbirth from the home to the hospital, one important reason for this change was the development of pain-reducing childbirth anesthesia, which was only available at the hospital.During the 1950s and 60s, women became more aware of the problems associated with heavy anesthesia during labor. Dense anesthesia:Had negative physical effects on women and their babies Left women unable to play a role in their own care and that of their babies.In addition the use of heavy anesthesia shifted control of childbirth from women (the birthing mother and her midwife), to the physician, (generally male at that time). The growing women's movement drew attention to this power change and set the stage for the natural childbirth movement. There was a strong sentiment that
Childbirth itself has not changed at all! Babies are still born today in the same way that that they have been born for generations. But many things associated with childbirth have changed, including:
Women's expectations of childbirth
Pain management options
The economics of childbirth and the system of healthcare
The technology used during pregnancy and birth.
These factors have greatly changed women's childbirth experiences.Today, a woman having a baby in an industrialized nation can reasonably expect that both she and her baby will have a healthy journey through pregnancy and birth. Childbearing is generally safe and does not represent illness or disability. A hundred years ago, many women faced childbirth with some fear because they knew of …show more content…
This has created a culture where each pregnancy and baby generates intense attention.Expectations of pain management have also changed. One hundred years ago, most children throughout the world were born at home. Although many factors contributed to the movement of childbirth from the home to the hospital, one important reason for this change was the development of pain-reducing childbirth anesthesia, which was only available at the hospital.During the 1950s and 60s, women became more aware of the problems associated with heavy anesthesia during labor. Dense anesthesia:Had negative physical effects on women and their babies Left women unable to play a role in their own care and that of their babies.In addition the use of heavy anesthesia shifted control of childbirth from women (the birthing mother and her midwife), to the physician, (generally male at that time). The growing women's movement drew attention to this power change and set the stage for the natural childbirth movement. There was a strong sentiment that