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Natural Birth Versus Medicalized Birth

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Natural Birth Versus Medicalized Birth
Introduction:
There has been a long debate over which birthing method women should use today: natural versus medicalized. The World Health Organization defines natural birth as a vaginal birth without the use of any.. and medicalized birth as being .. However, medicalized births are becoming increasingly popular in the United States. The use of technology and medical interventions in the birthing process has increased despite the unchanged basic physiology of childbirth. One of the most common medical interventions in the birthing process is having a cesarean delivery. Despite the known risks of having a cesarean section performed, the rates of this procedure have increased much higher than the acceptable rate of 10-15% as recommended by the World Health Organization. This is due to the reason that cesarean sections are now being performed as a matter of convenience of the physician or at the request of the patient more often than being performed as a life-saving intervention. Thus making surgical and medicalized interventions a part of a common routine in the childbirth experience.
Background:
Natural birth movements started in the mid-1940’s when birthing techniques, such as Lamaze’s six healthy birth practices, were introduced in the support of natural births and to lower the incidences of medical intervention in childbirth. This movement has grown, and continues to be an alternative dominant model of childbirth.
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