Myths Dispelled About Pregnancy, Labor and Birth
When it comes to pregnancy, labor and birth there is a lot of information out there; some true and some not so true. Between books, Google, family, friends and even many providers there are a lot of myths. For healthy, low-risk women midwifery care is very appropriate as well as out of hospital birth. Statistics show that it is the safest option for low-risk women due to low interventions.
There are 6 myths that I am going to dispel about pregnancy, labor and birth. These are the most commonly asked questions when a potential mom is inquiring about midwifery care, specifically in an out of hospital birth center. Please note that a hospital that calls their Labor and Delivery Unit a birth center is not in fact a birth center. A true birth center is out of hospital. You will find that in a hospital setting with an Obstetrician many of these topics are looked at quite differently. Midwives and birth centers go by evidence based care.
1st Baby: Many times I hear mamas say '“this is my first baby, I should give birth in a hospital.” The biggest risk factor for having a c-section is the facility you walk into. The same healthy, pregnant woman could have a very different birth experience at three different hospitals with her condition being the same.
Maternal Age: In the world of obstetrics, a woman is considered advanced maternal age after 35 years old. Her pregnancy is referred to as geriatric. As a woman ages, certain risks go up but very slightly. This is no reason to classify a woman over the age of 35 as high-risk. It is natural and normal to get pregnant and give birth to a healthy baby at any age.
GBS Status: At around 36 weeks of pregnancy a test is done with a swab that determines if the mom is GBS+ or GBS-. GBS stands for Group B Strep. This bacteria lives on our body naturally and many times is found in the vagina. If it is, that would classify a mom as GBS+. If you are GBS+ you can still give birth at an out of hospital birth center; it just means extra precautions are taken during labor and postpartum.
Gestational Diabetes:At 28 weeks in pregnancy a test is done to check how the mom is processing sugars. Sometimes women develop gestational diabetes which typically resolves after birth. If the blood sugar comes back from the lab to high, there needs to be changes in diet. Most times through a special diet, blood sugars can be regulated. If this is the case, the mother can give birth at an out of hospital birth center.
Pregnancy Loss: Sadly, many women suffer from pregnancy loss at some point. Most times it is early in pregnancy but sometimes it is not. Whatever your journey is with loss, we are here to support you in your next pregnancy. you can give birth at an out of hospital birth center. Some women take comfort in more monitoring which can be accommodated.
Assisted Reproduction: There are many different ways to help with infertility today. Achieving pregnancy through IVF, IVF-ET, etc. does not mean the pregnancy is high-risk. It is still perfectly acceptable to be seen by a midwife and have an out of hospital birth. Another type of assisted reproduction is insemination or IUI.
This is a brief overview about typical myths. These opinions represent Health Foundations Birth Center practice and may vary from other freestanding birth centers. I will be speaking more on this topic Sunday, September 16th at 10:00am on the MomShow, MyTalk 107.1. Tune in!
If you are interested in having your baby at a birth center, please give us a call and set up a time to come in for a free consultation.