'Women were never meant to give birth on their backs'

"For thousands of years, across the world, women tended to give birth in an upright position – whether kneeling as per Cleopatra, using birthing stools and chairs, or squatting. In fact, squatting can enlarge the pelvic diameter by at least 2.5cm (1in), while working with gravity makes it far easier to give birth."

"It's only in the past 300 to 400 years that women have been largely giving birth on their backs. They can thank a French man named François Mauriceau. He claimed that the reclining position would be both more comfortable for the pregnant woman and more convenient for the male physician attending to her"

"Since Louis XIV reportedly enjoyed watching women giving birth, he became frustrated by the obscured view of birth when it occurred on a birthing stool, and promoted the new reclining position […] The influence of the king's policy is unknown, although the behaviour of royalty must have affected the populace to some degree"

"gravity is beneficial to the process. […] a reduction in the risk of Caesarean birth, less use of epidural as a method of pain relief, and less chance of their babies being admitted to the neonatal unit […] Upright birthing positions have also been found to decrease the amount of time a woman is in labour […] more efficient contractions, less maternal pain, fewer forceps, vacuum births and episiotomies, as well as better oxygenation of the baby in the mother's uterus"

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260401-women-were-never-meant-to-give-birth-on-their-backs

#healthcare #health #labour #birth