We have already seen what a normal birth according to the WHO is, and now we bring you a document based on the evidence prepared by the Federation of Midwifery Associations in which they establish what a normal birth is.
Globally, the International Confederation of Midwives is carrying out a strategy whose objective is to promote normal childbirth, in which the Federation of Midwifery Associations of Spain (FAME) participates.
The member associations have worked and work in a campaign called "Normal Birth Initiative", with the objectives of:
- Sensitize and strengthen midwives in their skills to attend normal deliveries
- Create an opinion among women and society about normal birth assistance by midwives
- Reflect with scientific societies on the importance of normal childbirth, as well as being a reference in the Ministry of Health and in the respective Health Councils.
One of the actions of this campaign was a workday in 2006 in which FAME developed and agreed on the definition of normal delivery.
A document resulting from the work of different midwives of the different midwifery associations of the Autonomous Communities of Spain in which a bibliographic review on the care of normal or natural childbirth was carried out and finally the following "Definition of Normal Birth in the FAME ":
It is the unique physiological process with which the woman ends her term gestation, in which psychological and sociocultural factors are involved. Its onset is spontaneous, develops and ends without complications, culminates with birth and does not imply more intervention than comprehensive and respectful support.
As we see, it does not refer to the application of techniques, pharmacological or not, for pain relief, at least explicitly (but explicitly when saying that the intervention should be minimal).
Although another section of the document emphasizes that women should be informed of the benefits and risks of epidural anesthesia (about which they do not speak) and the possibility of benefiting from the various non-pharmacological techniques to relieve pain (which yes they explain).
As we can see, it is a very focused definition in psychology and respect for women, and as in the WHO definition it makes clear the points related to spontaneous onset (provoked births are excluded) and the absence of complications.
A definition of normal delivery which helps us to reflect and realize that these attempts to delimit what it is are due precisely to the fact that the majority of deliveries in our environment do not follow the stated premises but, to a greater or lesser extent, are treated medically.
Now, if you asked me, And your births were normal? I would say that the first one did not, because it ended in caesarean section, but I consider that the second one, spontaneous, vaginal, in spite of the epidural, but not "abnormal".
