Natural, medicated, and cesarean deliveries are the main types of childbirth delivery.
Each year, more than 4 million babies are born in the United States, and 130 million babies are born annually around the world. While the birth of a child is a joyful occasion, it can also be a very stressful experience. Parents, especially those who are new to the delivery experience, may struggle with choosing the proper delivery method. Natural, medicated and cesarean delivery are the three basic methods of childbirth. Ultimately, the best delivery method depends on individual needs and preferences.
Natural Delivery
Natural delivery includes all vaginal childbirth deliveries that do not involve medication. Natural births that involve alternative birthing methods, such as the use of yoga and acupuncture to fight pain, are becoming increasingly popular in the United States. Water births are now supported in almost 250 U.S. hospitals and in 70 percent of all birth centers.
Once an expecting mother decides to have a natural delivery, she then must choose a delivery facility. Natural births can take place at hospitals, birth centers or even at home. While physicians are on hand for those who choose to deliver in a hospital, birth centers offer a home-like setting where certified nurse-midwives deliver babies. Birth centers best serve healthy women who have low-risk pregnancies. For those who prefer the comfort of home, homebirth, usually supervised by a midwife, is another option.
Medicated Delivery
Medicated childbirth is another option for those who want to dull or eliminate the pain of childbirth. Medicate usually involves the use of analgesics, or, in special cases, general anesthesia. Analgesics are administered intravenously through an IV drip inserted into a vein or muscle after labor has started. The dosage and time period of analgesic usage affect how strongly an infant will react to the medication. As a result of analgesics, newborns may require oxygen because of breathing difficulties, or be born sleepy and unable to suck. All of these side effects are temporary and do not have a long-term effect on infants.
Though the use of general anesthesia may be tempting because it eliminates pain, it has a host of negative side effects. Forceps are required in the deliveries of women under general anesthesia because they are often unable to assist in the childbirth process. Vomiting while under general anesthesia can cause breathing complications or even death. Additionally, general anesthesia easily crosses the placenta and enters fetal circulation quickly, causing grogginess in newborns. Still, for mothers who suffer from blood clotting disorder or who have had previous back surgery, or in the event of fetal distress, the delivery of a breech baby, or in the case of an emergency cesarean, general anesthesia becomes necessary.
Cesarean Delivery
Cesarean delivery is a type of medicated delivery that becomes necessary in cases of complicated childbirth. If a baby is in distress, too large to pass through the pelvis, not in the head-down position, or premature, a cesarean delivery is often used. The decision to perform a cesarean typically is not made until after labor begins and is a last resort because of the possibility of complications for both the mother and the infant. If an expectant mother has already had one cesarean delivery, the method has been commonly used for all future deliveries to avoid the risk of uterine rupture that is heightened with repeat cesarean procedures. However, in July 2010, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists issued new guidelines stating that "vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) is a safe and appropriate choice for most women who have had a prior cesarean delivery."
