Fear of Home Birth in Doctors and Obstetric Iatrogenesis
Home births are physiological births and form part of the social model of birth. Doctors, traditionally, have been very fearful of out-of-hospital birth, and physiological births happen less frequently in obstetric units. Normal/physiological birth contributes to improving public health,
and doctors are often not aware of the extent of this benefit. Normal birth leads to adaptive physiological function in the baby (endocrine, immune system, thyroid function, respiration, neurology, temperature regulation), more mother and baby bonding, and promotes higher breastfeeding rates,
which in turn lead to better lifelong emotional and physical health in babies. Normal birth affirms health, promotes empowerment in mothers, and is a societal event that has been linked to promoting positive emotional qualities in society via the birthing hormone, oxytocin. Training within
the medical model constrains doctors' appreciation of normal birth. Experience of complications, a lack of awareness of the evidence surrounding home birth, compounded by failure to understand the concept of iatrogenesis, perpetuates fear of home birth among doctors.
Keywords: EVIDENCE; FEAR; HOME BIRTH; IATROGENESIS; INTERVENTION; MIDWIFERY; NATURAL BIRTH; NORMAL BIRTH; OBSTETRIC; OXYTOCIN; POLITICAL ISSUE; RISK
Document Type: Research Article
Publication date: 01 December 2011
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