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Why it is important to be concerned with the normality of the birth process

Publication at Faculty of Humanities |
2022

Abstract

The care of so-called "normal birth" is often associated with the profession of midwifery in the world. Promoting normal physiological birth is also one of the values that define the professional identity of midwives.

We know from socio-cultural anthropology that the form of birth and its care is culturally determined everywhere in the world. The forms of childbirth vary historically and geographically.

What exactly does a so-called 'normal', 'physiological' or 'natural' birth look like? Is there any point in trying to define its form? And how do Czech health professionals define normal birth? In this article I will present the preliminary results of a research conducted by interviewing Czech health professionals on this topic. The form of childbirth is largely influenced by the "normalized" form of its care.

Norms change over time and depending on location, resources and opportunities, as do the methods of care. Technology in obstetrics undoubtedly enables us to save the lives of women and babies.

At the same time, we are currently facing criticism of the overuse of intervention in the context of 'normal birth'. What perspectives of critique are we encountering and how do the different levels of critique relate to what we consider 'normal', 'physiological' or 'natural' in obstetrics?