Question

Physiologic birth includes spontaneous vaginal birth at term with minimal technologic and pharmacologic interventions. Many perinatal interventions currently used decreases physiologic birth. Using information from evidence-based findings found in current professional resources; respond to the following.

Describe two (2) potential health benefits for the maternal/fetal dyad resulting from physiologic birth care practices.

Describe how the registered nurse would promote physiologic birth.

Describe why multidisciplinary collaboration is important when promoting/supporting physiologic birth.

Answer 1

A normal physiologic labor and birth are powered by the innate human capacity of the woman and fetus. This birth is more likely to be safe and healthy because no unnecessary interventions disrupt normal physiologic processes.

Physiologic birth has the following identified benefits for women:

• Reduced peripartum morbidity primarily through avoidance of surgery and related complications.

• Possible reduction in chronic disease through improved likelihood of breastfeeding.

• Improved birth experience through access to supportive care and involvement in decision making.

• Reduced out-of-pocket costs for maternity care primarily through reduced rate of cesarean birth

Physiologic birth has the following identified benefits for infants:

A registered nurse's role in promoting physiological labour is more significant . She is responsible for providing psychological support to the women and providing proper health education to her which will alleviate the fear and lack of knowledge of the mother about labour . The nurse also would get many merits from having physiological labour, which includes;

The joined effort of nurses, obstetrician, neonatologist / pediatrician, patient and other health care workers are important to promote physiologial birthday.

• Reduced likelihood of iatrogenic harms related to augmentation, induction of labor, instrumental vaginal birth, neonatal respiratory distress, and neonatal lacerations.

• Possible reduction in likelihood of chronic disease related to cesarean delivery and disrupted or delayed breastfeeding.

• Improved maternal-infant attachment

• Potential for increased engagement and support of women in labor leading to increased professional satisfaction.

• Improved performance on measures likely to be linked to payment, including patient experience measures (eg, Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems [HCAHPS] Survey)

• Possible reduction in adverse events and related liability claims or payouts due to reduced use of oxytocin, a high-alert medication implicated in half of obstetric claims.