Proactive Support of Labor: The Challenge of Normal Childbirth

292 Pages·2009·2.6 MB·English

by  Paul Reuwer, Hein Bruinse, Arie Franx

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Proactive Support of Labor

Proactive
Support of
Labor
The Challenge of Normal
Childbirth
Paul Reuwer
Hein Bruinse
Arie Franx
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, São Paulo
Cambridge University Press
The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 8RU, UK
Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York
www.cambridge.org
Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521735766
© P. Reuwer, H. Bruinse and A. Franx 2009
This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the
provision of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part
may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University Press.
First published in print format 2009
ISBN-13 978-0-511-50669-7 eBook (EBL)
ISBN-13 978-0-521-73576-6 paperback
Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy
of urls for external or third-party internet websites referred to in this publication,
and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain,
accurate or appropriate.
ThisbookisdedicatedtoKieranO’Driscoll,great
obstetrician and distinguished teacher, forerun-
ner in the development and evaluation of con-
ceptual birth care. His fundamental insight and
inspiringworkprovidedthestartingpointofthis
treatise.

Contents
Foreword page ix
Acknowledgments xi
Web-Forum xiii
1. Generalintroduction 1
Section 1: A wake-up call 7
2. Medicalexcessinnormalchildbirth 9
3. Iatrogeniccausesoffailedlabors 19
4. Harmfulbirthcarepractices 27
5. Destructiveterritorialdisputes 35
6. Self-sustainingmechanisms 42
Section 2: Back to basics 53
7. Lessonsfromnature 55
8. Elementarybiophysicsofbirth 59
9. First-stagelaborrevisited 70
10. Second-stagelaborredefined 79
11. Definitionsandverbalprecision 84
Section 3: Proactive support of labor 93
12. Introductorysynopsis 95
13. Nulliparousversusparouslabor 104
14. Diagnosisoflabor 110
15. Preventionoflonglabor 121
vii
viii Contents
16. Personalcontinuityandcontinuous
support 131
17. Amniotomyandoxytocin 138
18. Laborpaininbroaderperspective 150
19. Prelaborpreparation 157
20. Medicalpainreliefrevisited 163
21. Dynamicdystociaunraveled 175
22. Mechanicalbirthobstruction 190
23. Curtaileduseofinduction 202
24. Intrapartumcareofthefetus 210
25. Preventionoflitigation 225
26. Organizationalreforms 230
27. Continualauditandfeedback 241
28. Qualityassessment 245
29. Hospitalstatistics 248
30. Sumoftheparts 253
Index 259