Fear of childbirth Midwives help

A midwife helps to overcome the fear of birth

16/10/2013

Many women are afraid of giving birth and therefore opt for a cesarean section. Nevertheless, fear of birth is considered a taboo topic and is often downplayed. Intense conversations can eliminate most fears. When cared for by a midwife, pregnant women are in most cases not only more relaxed in their ability to conceive, but are also less likely to have premature births, according to a meta-study by British researchers from King's College, London.

A midwife can look after the pregnant woman before she is born
Many pregnant women are very afraid of birth. Often the loss of control, the fear of pain and the concern for the child are in the foreground. Therefore, some women opt for a caesarean section, even if a natural birth from a medical point of view, nothing stands in the way. From her experience with pregnant women, the midwife reports to Katharina Helms „Mirror online“, that many women would not dare to endure the pain of childbirth, or they feared, „It happens again and again that expectant mothers would decide for fear of a caesarean section out of fear.Most however medical reasons would be pushed forward.However, according to Helms open discussions are important to the fear in the She advises pregnant women to be looked after by a midwife before birth.

Achieve a natural birth, give the women much strength, reports the obstetrician. „Therefore, I try to encourage anxious women too. But I respect it when they decide otherwise“, so helms.

Fear of childbirth through conversation and relaxation methods
„Basically, fears of birth are normal and understandable, "explains Corinna Reck, psychologist at the Center for Psychosocial Medicine of the University Hospital Heidelberg, opposite the magazine. „After all, a birth is a borderline experience between life and death. "Up to 30 percent of mothers suffered from symptoms of trauma after delivery. „Some think then: I do not want to experience that again. Then they forget it again, that's what biology has set it up for, "says the psychologist:" About one percent of women experience a persistent post-traumatic stress disorder that needs to be treated. "Some women's anxiety is even so great that they have a phobia developed a new pregnancy, especially victims of abuse or violence are prone to birth anxiety. „A loss of control over one's own body as at birth is often hard to bear for such women, "explains Reck.

It must be found out in each case what helps a pregnant woman to overcome the fears. „In addition to conversations, there are hypnotherapeutic relaxation methods, with which we achieve good results, "says the psychologist.

Mother and child benefit from care by midwife
A meta-study analyzing more than 16,000 women's data from 13 examinations revealed Jane Sandall from King's College, London, and her colleagues concluded that pregnant women benefit significantly from regular midwifery care. Therefore, women who were cared for by a midwife before birth rarely need local anesthesia (peridural anesthesia) and an episiotomy. In addition, during the delivery of rare instruments for obstetrics had to be used.

The researchers also found that the risk of a premature birth also dropped. Also, the women cared for by a midwife were less likely to die from childbirth before the 24th week of pregnancy. After the 24th week, there was no difference in the mortality rate of the children compared to women who did not receive midwife care.

The women looked after had a natural vaginal birth more often and were altogether happier, it was said in some studies. The better well-being of women could reduce the health costs of a birth, the researchers write and advise pregnant women to be looked after by a midwife. This ultimately benefited mother and child. (Ag)