The Daily Mail have recently published an article on whether fathers should be present at the birth of their child.
For those fathers who make it through without fainting, the miracle of childbirth is an unforgettable experience. But their presence could actually be harming the mother and child, a leading obstetrician warned yesterday. Michael Odent claims having a husband or partner in the room at the birth increases the likelihood of a Caesarean section, subsequent marriage break-up and even mental illness.
A leading obstetrician says women are more likely to have problems giving birth if their partners or male doctors are present. He also believes it makes the labour longer and more painful because the woman is distracted by the father's anxiety.
Delivering children would be much simpler if women were left alone in the care of their midwife, he claims. 'The ideal birth environment involves no men in general,' he said yesterday. 'Having been involved for more than 50 years in childbirths in homes and hospitals in France, England and Africa, the best environment I know for an easy birth is when there is nobody around the woman in labour apart from a silent, low-profile and experienced midwife.
'In this situation, more often than not, the birth is easier and faster than what happens when there are other people around, especially male figures – husbands and doctors.' More than 90 per cent of births in the UK have a male partner in attendance, studies show. But Dr Odent claimed that having males present at the birth makes the mother tense, leading her to produce adrenaline.
This slows her production of the hormone oxytocin, which is vital for childbirth, thus extending the length of the labour. 'If she can't release oxytocin she can't have effective contractions, and everything becomes more difficult,' said the French doctor, who runs the Primal Health Research childbirth charity in London. 'Labour becomes longer, more painful and more difficult because the hormonal balance in the woman is disturbed by the environment that's not appropriate because of the presence of the man.'
Critics say there is little evidence to support his claims - Duncan Fisher, of the fatherhood advice website Dad Info, said: 'I think he's wrong and is not basing his argument on evidence either that it damages men or their relationships with mothers. Of course, not all men are nervous and a lot of women would be even more nervous without their partner there. Mothers want them there because it is not home.'
Mary Newburn, of the National Childbirth Trust, said there were now cultural pressures on men to attend the birth of their child. She added: 'There's such a feeling among women that "you got me into this, I have carried the baby for nine months and now I have to go through labour and birth, so the least you can do is be with me, and if you feel a bit squeamish, then tough. The most important thing is that the woman feels safe, secure and supported, so if she wants to have a woman around instead, that's fine.”
Related posts: