I opened an email to see that "giving birth is more risky than skydiving". This email also goes on to state that "it's one of the most dangerous things our patients will ever experience." I realize the sender is trying to get me to sign up for a class on obstetric emergencies, but really?!!
Let's put this in perspective. Women have been giving birth for a heck of a lot longer than humans have been skydiving. So, just from a risk over time consideration, there isn't a correlation. The percentage of the US population who has done at least one skydive is significantly lower than the percentage of the US population who has given birth at least once. Why would someone compare birth with skydiving? That's like telling you not to eat broccoli because you might be in a car accident.
There is an element of risk to pregnancy. There is risk when you walk outside your front door. There is risk every time you get behind the steering wheel of a car. Risks can be reduced but not eliminated entirely. If you are a human being, risk of part of the package. If birth is so "dangerous" then why have humans proliferated so successfully?
For the majority of women, birth is not an emergency. Yes, there can be truly serious situations that can be an emergency but they are not the majority of births. Playing on fears of the minority of cases that are emergencies to get my money for a training course doesn't impress me and it actually ticks me off. As a midwfe, I truly believe pregnancy and birth are not medical conditions to be managed. I feel birth works best when we trust the process and do not try to manipulate or manage it.
Using dramatic, scary wording does not impress me. It actually makes me wonder what kind of care is being provided that would make birth more risky than skydiving. Needless to say, I will continue to educate myself so I am prepared for the times when birth needs help. I will not add drama or fear to birth, especially in the times it does need help.
Let's put this in perspective. Women have been giving birth for a heck of a lot longer than humans have been skydiving. So, just from a risk over time consideration, there isn't a correlation. The percentage of the US population who has done at least one skydive is significantly lower than the percentage of the US population who has given birth at least once. Why would someone compare birth with skydiving? That's like telling you not to eat broccoli because you might be in a car accident.
There is an element of risk to pregnancy. There is risk when you walk outside your front door. There is risk every time you get behind the steering wheel of a car. Risks can be reduced but not eliminated entirely. If you are a human being, risk of part of the package. If birth is so "dangerous" then why have humans proliferated so successfully?
For the majority of women, birth is not an emergency. Yes, there can be truly serious situations that can be an emergency but they are not the majority of births. Playing on fears of the minority of cases that are emergencies to get my money for a training course doesn't impress me and it actually ticks me off. As a midwfe, I truly believe pregnancy and birth are not medical conditions to be managed. I feel birth works best when we trust the process and do not try to manipulate or manage it.
Using dramatic, scary wording does not impress me. It actually makes me wonder what kind of care is being provided that would make birth more risky than skydiving. Needless to say, I will continue to educate myself so I am prepared for the times when birth needs help. I will not add drama or fear to birth, especially in the times it does need help.
RSS Feed