Natural birth techniques 'can be very efficient'

International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

Friday, 29th May 2009

Given the right environment for birth, women find natural delivery techniques very efficient, it has been claimed.

Mary Nolan, antenatal teacher and tutor at the UK National Childbirth Trust (NCT) and professor of perinatal education at the University of Worcester, was commenting after a Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists study found that classes on birth techniques which emphasise breathing, massage and relaxation do not make a difference to women's experience of labour.

Researchers found that epidural injections are needed by women who attend antenatal programmes focusing on natural techniques as frequently as those who participated in standard antenatal classes.

However, Professor Nolan claimed that breathing techniques, upright and forward positions, massage and use of water can be both efficient and sufficient, providing that women give birth in familiar, comfortable and safe surroundings.

She added: "Although community midwives carry pethidine, they rarely use it for home births and it is also rare for women to transfer to hospital because they want pharmacological pain relief."

The UK Office for National Statistics reported that the number of live births in England and Wales increased for the seventh successive year in 2008 – up from 690,013 to 708,708