On Monday afternoon some parents decided that their second child would be born at home, and without medical assistance . When the couple requested help from the emergency service, it was too late: the baby was breech and could not survive .
This tragedy once again sets off alarms about the safety of home births. Some mothers choose to give birth outside the hospital, but it is important that certain medical conditions occur (there are no previous complications) and that the delivery is attended by a professional who guarantees the safety of the mother and the baby.
Unattended delivery without medical checks
Health sources at the Álvaro Cunqueiro Hospital in Vigo, where the mother and baby were transferred, have explained to La Voz de Galicia that the couple went ahead with their idea of having the baby at home, despite the fact that they had been advised against it . It seems that they had tried to contact several midwives to prepare it and that they had been warned that, as the baby was breech, there was a risk and it should not be done outside the hospital .
The parents had already had another child born at home, and since everything had gone well, they wanted to repeat the experience. But in this case, it was not. When they saw that the child could not be born, they called the emergency room explaining that “she was going into labor.”
When the 061 technicians arrived, they did not find any health professional at home and transferred the mother and baby to the hospital. When the doctors arrived, they could no longer do anything to save the baby’s life, although they tried to revive him. It is not known whether he died at home or on the way to the hospital.
The pregnancy was in the 40th week, the end of a normal pregnancy. But according to the official report of the hospital presented to the court, the mother had also given up the usual monitoring of pregnancy , at least in the last month of pregnancy, which is very important.
The Hospital has reported the case to the court and the baby is scheduled to be autopsied. The judge will investigate why it was chosen not to go to the hospital and will take the corresponding judicial measures.
The baby was breech
For a home birth to take place, there must be no previous medical conditions such as the mother’s disease (hypertension, diabetes, gestational diabetes, anemia or heart disease, etc.) or pregnancy complications such as a baby that is small for gestational age, premature birth, pre-eclampsia, multiple pregnancy, or babies in a non-cephalic position, that is, breech or transverse .
It is also important to have followed the pregnancy and maternal age controls, since home birth is not recommended for mothers over 35 or for very large babies (more than 4 kg). In any case, the breech position is considered risky and therefore home birth is not recommended, even if assisted by a midwife.
Although it is respectable to choose to give birth at home, the option to give birth without help is irresponsible , as it puts both mother and baby at risk. Giving birth at home may be an option, but as long as medical conditions exist and, of course, with professional assistance who knows how to act in an emergency. Health must be a priority, always.
Via | The voice of Galicia
Photos | iStock
