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Staff Reopter
Getting pregnant, going into labor and rearing children are common but very special things for a woman. However, these days the birthrate in Korea is the lowest ever ― marking 1.12 per couple.
Moreover, more mothers-to-be are choosing to undergo caesarian section ― it marked 36.8 percent in 2007, much higher than world health organization’s recommendation of 5-15 percent.
Dr. Han Dong-up of Bundang Cheil Women’s Hospital said there could be some other reasons, but it’s mostly women’s fear of labor pains that boosts the surgery rate. Han said under certain circumstances such as the unborn baby having health problems; the mothers’ suffering from critical disease or there being serious health concerns for either mother or child or both; the mother already having had a caesarian section; doctors will recommend the artificial birth procedure, but in most cases its not necessary.
``We persuade the mothers to endure the pain and see the baby in a more natural state,’’ he said. His hospital was ranked in the top 30 percent of hospitals with low caesarian section operations by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service in the first half of 2007.
There are several options mothers-to-be can take in giving birth in a natural way: water birth, swing birth and family birth.
Water birth was once favored by many women because the pain was lessened inside the water. However, it takes longer because the muscles are much looser. Also, the possibility of contamination from excrement during birth now sees many doctors to not recommend it.
The swing birth has similar effect in lessening the pain but it also takes longer time and the possibility of injury in the vulva.
These days, the most preferred method is the family birth, where the father is present during whole labor and birth process. ``It raises intimacy between the couple and stronger family ties after birth,’’ Han said as he explained that the practice is common in many other countries.
Han advised the mothers-to-be to endure some pain in having children. ``The more painful the whole experience was, the more attached you would feel to the child,’’ he said.
Based on the spirit of Christianity, the hospital provides a Christian service once a week and helps mothers with breastfeeding. ``Its healthier for the mother and the child. Also it cements the mother-and-child bond,’’ he said.
bjs@koreatimes.co.kr
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