High-Tech Births

[primroseburrows]

From Reuters:

Defense Software Could Make Births Safer -Report

(2003-12-03)

LONDON (Reuters) - British scientists have incorporated defense software used to pick up targets on military radar into a new painless technique that detects problems during labor and could lead to safer births.
The electrocardiogram (ECG) trace developed by the defense research company QinetiQ can record an electrical signal from the heart and indicates if the baby is not getting enough oxygen or has an irregular heartbeat, a science magazine reported.
It can also detect the strength of the mother's contractions, which shows how the labor is progressing.
"The non-invasive system records signals from 12 electrodes on the mother's abdomen, separating out useful components from background noise from muscles other than the heart or interference from electrical equipment," New Scientist magazine said on Wednesday.
Doctors at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital in southwestern England who are testing the device believe it will help to detect early problems during the delivery and help to rule out unnecessary Caesarean deliveries.
A technique called cardiotocography (CTG) is already used during labor but it is not as accurate as the ECG.
"The researchers also found they could measure the mother's contractions directly, using the electrical signals from the muscles," the magazine added.

© Copyright 2003, Reuters

Um. I think this could be useful in very, very high risk birth situations. In normal, low risk situations, however, it's just another way of making chilbirth into an illness, of stealing power from women AGAIN. How much do you want to bet that millions of women will insist on it without question?

Comments

[dejaspirit.livejournal.com]

Sorry to disagree with Primroseburrows, but I had "the works" and I'd do it again. Hell, I'd have an edpidural for mentstrual cramps if they would let me. I don't believe in the whole "natural childbirth" hype. Unless I'm attempting to push that baby out of my nose, it's natural.

And I have to say, when I was in labor the last thing I wanted to do was walk. I did not want to meditate, breath like an asthma victim, or do some damn mother earth childbirth chant. I wanted someone to knock me over the head with a mallet. I wanted Evan to feed me bon bons. If my doctor had told me to walk around instead of giving me pain medication, I would have kicked his ass.

What's empowering is having choices. If someone wants unmedicated birth, then they should be allowed and supported when they make that choice. And when I choose not to, I deserve the same respect.

[primroseburrows.livejournal.com]

Oh, I think that people should have the birth they want, within reason (such as scheduled sections/inductions before the baby's ready). My problem is the lack of choices, and the way hospitals escalate treatment without even considering the mother's wishes.

Epidurals I have problems with, because they necessitate an internal monitor, which opens the baby up to a world of infection. I had one with my youngest. Nobody told me about the internal monitor beforehand, or the IV, or the loss of sensation. Doctors should educate better. I wouldn't have had it had I known. Still, it's a choice that every woman should make. They just so often don't get the chance to choose at all.

[dejaspirit.livejournal.com]

I agree with you on that completely. I went to both a midwife and a doctor before I made the final choice. I chose my doctor. I didn't like the midwife experience. I didn't feel comfortable. I think my personality was more suited to a hospital environment.

But I love my epidural, now. *shakes fists and clings to epidural*. My birth went from horrible, awful to ohmythisaintsobad in about ten seconds. After that, Elise was out in about two good pushes. I threatened to run away with my anesthesiologist, but alas, he was taken.

Okay, not really.

*back to packing*

Argh, I MUST stop coming on LJ.