Reducing the Cascade of Interventions in Childbirth

Maternity care tends to be very intervention focused in America. Most birth experiences consist of IV fluids, restrictive eating and drinking, continuous monitoring, epidurals, and induction or augmentation. It is common for interventions to be recommended to a laboring woman to keep her labor progressing. Some of these interventions have side effects that can lead to even more interventions, leading to  “the cascade of interventions.” Understanding this snowball effect is essential to reduce unnecessary medical interventions which can interfere with your labor progress, as well as your own and your baby’s wellbeing.