Promoting normality in childbirth
This is another excellent editorial pointing out that childbirth is not a disease process that needs to be medicated and treated. The authors point out that initiating medical intervention tends to start the dominos falling for further interventions–ironically creating a situation in which medical intervention is needed. We need to stop viewing such obstetrical procedures as epidurals as benign and realize that they do have an effect on the fetus. How can they not??
bmj.com Johanson and Newburn 323 (7322): 1142