Question 1

how painful is childbirth?

Accepted Answer

Very painful: At best - Labor pain can feel like really severe menstrual cramps. The cramping radiates from the pelvis to the back or the back to the pelvis. Without an epidural many women find it unbearable during their first pregnancy. Subsequent pregnancies, they are able to tolerate the pain better and the labor can be shorter.

Question 2

how many women die in childbirth?

Accepted Answer

16-17 per 100,000: Published in the Lancet journal in 2010, the rate of maternal death in the US was 16.7 per 100,000 live births. Ranked 39th in the world, the higher mortality is probably linked to older age and obesity.

Question 3

what amount does childbirth hurt?

Accepted Answer

Variable: Childbirth can be quite painful. However, each childbirth a woman has can be quite different. My daughter had a small head - that was a relatively easy delivery compared to her brothers. Interventions like epidural anesthesia can really change the amount of pain that is felt.

Question 4

how do young women die in childbirth?

Accepted Answer

Maternal death: Women die in childbirth form blood clots to the lungs, sepsis, bleeding disorders, primary pulmonary hypertension. Lupus, preeclampsia, heart disease, strokes, and other underlying medical disorders. Even in the 21st century, people die. We do the best we can as physicians, but some problems are insurmountable.

Question 5

what is the bradley childbirth method?

Accepted Answer

Natural childbirth: Bradley is a method of childbirth that educates the patient on the birth process and methods to control the pain.  Patients that are willing to learn the process do very well.

Question 6

why do some women die from childbirth?

Accepted Answer

Not common in USA: The pain causes of death from childbirth are: amniotic fluid embolism, pulmonary embolism, hemorrhage, eclampsia, infections.

Question 7

help please? how painful is childbirth?

Accepted Answer

Extremely variable.: The childbirth experience can be quite different from one child to another (same woman). I found it painful - (but a small list of other problems have caused more pain).

Question 8

when can i travel again after childbirth?

Accepted Answer

Travel with caution: You get get back to travel when you feel comfortable going on the trip. Get plenty of rest around your trip and keep yourself healthy. Take the same travel precautions you have in the past and keep in mind the newness of travel with a newborn. Extra clothing, food, diapers, and a treat for yourself. Optional earplugs for your fellow passengers can be a nice touch.

Question 9

what are chances i will die in childbirth?

Accepted Answer

Very Low: With modern medicine, your chances are very low.  Receive good prenatal care which can identify conditions that place you at risk.  Then the proper arrangements can be made to keep you safe at delivery. Tell your doc if you have any medical problems, prior surgical complications, reactions to medicines, and follow their expertise. Delivering at a facility with emergency capabilities also is safer.

Question 10

how can i minimize the pain of childbirth?

Accepted Answer

Several choices: For those who want to experience as little pain as possible, there are several choices. Non-medical options include hypnotherapy, guided imagery and visualization techniques, and massage. For those seeking medical interventions, the standard options include narcotic analgesia and epidural anesthesia. Narcotics (those in the morphine family) take the edge off pain at the level of the brain, making you care less about the pain, even though you still feel it. These neurological effects may leave you feeling sleepy, euphoric, or “out of it.” Epidural anesthesia doesn’t affect the brain’s pain centers in the same way, so you’re more likely to feel alert and awake. The epidural numbs the body from the waist down, making you feel pressure, but no- or little- pain, until the very end, when you may feel a bit of pain just as the baby comes out. If you’re very early in labor (less than 4 centimeters dilated), your doctor may encourage you to choose narcotic analgesia until your labor is more active, when you may choose an epidural. If you’re further along, such as 8 centimeters dilated, your doctor may discourage you from using narcotics, since they can depress the respiration of the newborn. In my experience, patients experience the best relief from pain when they combine non-medical pain management techniques with narcotics early in labor and then an epidural in active labor.

Get Virtual Care

For Businesses

About Us

HealthTap Online Primary Care Doctors Accepting New Patients

Doctor answers about:

Video clip of childbirth

A member asked:

How painful is childbirth?

A member asked:

How many women die in childbirth?

A member asked:

What amount does childbirth hurt?

A member asked:

How do young women die in childbirth?

A member asked:

What is the bradley childbirth method?

A member asked:

Why do some women die from childbirth?

A member asked:

Help please? how painful is childbirth?

A member asked:

When can i travel again after childbirth?

A member asked:

What are chances i will die in childbirth?

A member asked:

How can i minimize the pain of childbirth?

HealthTap Online Primary Care Doctors Accepting New Patients

Telemedicine

Primary Care

Manage Your Conditions

Women's Health

Children's Health

Men's Health

Senior Health

Wellness, Prevention & Lifestyle

Sexual Health

Mental & Behavioral Health

Travel Medicine

Urgent Care

Didn't find what you're looking for?

More of what we treat

Allergies

Antibiotics

Asthma

High Blood Pressure

Prescriptions

Type 2 Diabetes

For Businesses

Company

Health Content

Join Us

Download HealthTap

Questions?