CONCEIVING CHILDREN: PROCESS AND CHOICE

Select a topic from the text and conduct some independent Internet research. Topics
may include infertility, reproductive technologies, gendered perspectives on fertility and
reproduction, reproductive choice, abortion, childbirth options, medical interventions
during childbirth, fathers and fertility, the rights of mother and fetus, the impact of
technology on reproductive implications, sperm banks, and reproductive ethics. What
did you learn? Report on your findings.

I selected the topic; childbirth options. I believe that each woman giving birth should be able to
plan her own birth unless medical staff needs to intrude because of safety reasons (mother and/or
baby). For me personally, with my first child my body went into labor on its own. I had an
OBGYN, she delivered my baby vaginally with an epidural. My labor for only 4 hours. With my
second child, I had to ultimately get a C-section. My baby was breech and measuring small, my
OBGYN wanted to induce me, but because she was breech we tried to do an ECV (External
cephalic version). Unfortunately, it didnt want, so that same day my baby was delivered via C-
section. Both of my births were so beautiful in their own ways.

The child birth options that are available are; hospital with your OBGYN, hospital with a
midwife, at home birth, birth centers, water birth (at hospital or home). There are also a few
ways to deliver your baby; vaginal medicated, vaginal un-medicated, C-section, VBAC (Vaginal
birth after C-section).

Many women approximately 64% of women under a physicians care seek pharmaceutical
pain control in labor and delivery (Knox & Milstein, 2017, pg. 339). With my first child, I had an
epidural block, and with my second I had a spinal block. I believe I was given the spinal block
because my OBGYN attempted the ECV beforehand. But had to do the C-section immediately
afterwards, and the spinal block works faster.

I think women nowadays are more into having an un-medicated birth, women feel more
empowered when they do not need to be medicated to bring their child into the world. But I also
believe that has a big part to play in with the feminist movement. Women want to feel strong and
independent, I believe this is a way of expressing that. An un-medicated birth is not for
everyone, I know I wouldnt have been able to do it, but I feel just as strong for birthing two
babies into the world.

Another common thing nowadays is VBAC. Unfortunately, after you have a C-section, youre
more likely to have another C-section, but women are opting in to trying to deliver via VBAC. I
think that is great for women who are wanting to try it. About 60-80% of VBAC deliveries are
successful. Some women dont even bother to attempt a VBAC and deliver via C-section again. I
do believe, if I were to have another baby I would try for a VBAC. Either way, props to all the
mamas delivering babies. Birth is such a wonderful experience.

However you plan your birth, or who you have planned to be in the room with you. Birth is so
magical and once in a life time opportunity to bring life into this world (maybe twice or three-
time opportunity, depending on how many kids you plan to have). Even if your birth doesnt go
as planned, it is still such a blessing. All babies are blessings, all births are blessings.

David Knox & Susan Milstein, Human Sexuality; Making Informed Decisions, 2017, pg. 339