Improving maternal and infant outcomes by promoting normal physiologic birth on hospital birthing units

Abstract

Pregnancy, labor, and birth are normal physiologic processes in women's lives. Women should receive care that supports a physiologic approach, using medical interventions only when needed, and continuing to support normal aspects of pregnancy and birth in more complex situations when possible. The academy supports the normalcy of pregnancy and birth and a woman-centered physiologic approach to providing care on hospital birthing units.

Pain Neuroscience Education to Support Birth: A Feasibility Study

“…Currently, there remains a disconnect between common birth practices and CPGs [2,13]. This pilot study highlights the potential role PNE and mobilizing physiologic birth evidence and associated recommended best practices to bridge this gap…”

“…Pregnant women lack awareness regarding physiologic birth strategies and the associated risks of non-physiologic birth methods in part due to inadequate training and experience of related health care providers [2,15]. These findings support the necessity for research specifically devoted to enhancing a woman's self-efficacy, knowledge and birth outcomes through education and empowerment, inclusive of PNE.…”

“…A physiologic birth constitutes a baby born vaginally following a labour that is not altered by medical interventions [1]. Specifically, this involves spontaneous onset and progression of labour at term, utilizing the woman's innate hormone physiology [2]. Compared births involving common interventions such as synthetic oxytocin or epidural analgesia, physiologic births provide superior outcomes for both mother and baby [2].…”

“…Specifically, this involves spontaneous onset and progression of labour at term, utilizing the woman's innate hormone physiology [2]. Compared births involving common interventions such as synthetic oxytocin or epidural analgesia, physiologic births provide superior outcomes for both mother and baby [2]. Specifically, enhanced outcomes for the baby include increased breastfeeding rates and infant-maternal attachment, while the mother will also benefit from increased satisfaction as well as reduced labour duration and peripartum morbidity [1,[3][4][5].…”

Using the Blueprint for Advancing High‐Value Maternity Care for transformative change

“…21 The Blueprint identifies many recent clinical practice guidance statements from the nation's leading maternity-related professional societies and organizations that similarly recognize the benefits of physiologic childbearing and oppose use of unneeded perinatal interventions. 13,[22][23][24][25] Particularly important is apparent alignment of the Blueprint with the views of women who have given birth. Women's views appear to have shifted substantially over a 15-year time span.…”