Undisturbed Physiological Birth: Insights from Women Who Freebirth in the United Kingdom.
Gemma McKenzie, Elsa Montgomery
Midwifery October 2021 DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2021.103042 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 16 |
| Population | Women in the United Kingdom who had freebirthed their babies (intentionally giving birth without midwives or doctors present) |
| Keywords | Freebirth Physiological birth Fetus ejection reflex Narrative Qualitative research |
| Key findings | Women who freebirthed described a range of phenomena, including birth positions, the fetus ejection reflex, pain, altered states of consciousness, physiological third stages, and postnatal experiences they characterized as physically and emotionally positive. The authors argue that standard maternity settings and practice may not be conducive to or reflective of physiological birth, and that further research is needed on physiological birth phenomena to understand how to promote it and when intervention is justified. |
Abstract
To understand women's experiences of undisturbed physiological birth by exploring the narratives of women who have freebirthed their babies in the United Kingdom (intentionally giving birth without midwives or doctors present). Unstructured narrative face-to-face interviews were carried out and data were analysed using the Voice Centred Relational Method (VCRM). Sixteen women who had freebirthed their babies. Women discussed a range of phenomena including birth positions, the fetus ejection reflex, pain, altered states of consciousness, physiological third stages and postnatal experiences that were physically and emotionally positive. There is a paucity of literature on physiological birth and limited opportunity for practitioners to witness it. Further research is required on phenomena related to physiological birth so as to better understand how to promote it within the maternity setting and when intervention is justified. Standard maternity settings and practice may not be conducive to or reflective of physiological birth. Better understanding of physiological birth is required so that pregnant women and people can be appropriately supported during labour and birth.