Opciones de Parto

Por: Claudia Villeneuve

El deseo de dar a luz vaginalmente y sin el uso de drogas se ha convertido en una barrera para muchas mujeres en Alberta . Cada día se ven más noticias sobre actrices de cine y televisión que planean sus cesáreas para ciertas fechas y para evitar el dolor de parto (pero no el dolor quirúrgico de posparto), o estudios médicos promoviendo la cesárea electiva o mandatoria porque el bebé presenta de nalgas, porque el bebé parece grande, o porque la mujer ya ha tenido una cesárea anterior. La realidad es que las cesáreas deben ser usadas como último recurso ya que exponen a la mujer y a su bebé a complicaciones quirúgicas muy serias.

Hay múltiples opciones disponibles para dar a luz, pero las opciones ofrecidas por el sistema médico tradicional disminuyen cada día. Tenga en cuenta que sus opciones TODAVIA son:

Disfrutar del embarazo sin exámenes invasivos:

No hay necesidad de someterse a ultrasonidos y amniocentesis rutinarios. Cada uno debe tomar lugar cuando hay un síntoma serio, y cuando haya factores de riesgo específicos. Aún así usted puede negarse a todos ellos sabiendo que a menos que usted vaya a abortar el bebé, no hay que hacer hasta que el bebé nazca. Dos factores principales que sí afectan el embarazo son la nutrición y el apoyo social. Coma muy buena comida y mantenga muchas amistades, ya que de esto depende su estado físico y emocional.

Escoger un médico o una partera, y dar a luz en hospital o en casa:

En Alberta los servicios de una partera no están cubiertos por el seguro medico, mientras que el Colegio de Médicos y Cirujanos de Alberta les ha prohibido a sus miembros a atender partos en la casa. Aún así, usted puede contratar a una partera y dar a luz en la casa u hospital, si prefiere, y pagar directamente. Las tasas de cesárea y de anestesia son mucho más bajas con ellas, y las tasas de satisfacción materna son mucho más altas. Cientos de mujeres Albertanas de todos los niveles económicos y de educación, han escogido parteras y han dado a luz en la casa, con seguridad y con alegría.

Tener control sobre le proceso de parto:

En todos los casos, sin excepción, la mujer retiene el control sobre el tipo de cuidado médico que recibe, y tiene el derecho ha recibir información precisa sobre cada opción de parto. En los hospitals hoy, hay un desbalance sobre el tipo de información y sobre el cuidado que las mujeres reciben. Como resultado hay una epidemia de inducciones de parto, de epidurales, y de operaciones cesáreas, que no han mejorado la salud de las madres o de los bebés.

Hay muchas organizaciones en Alberta que le ofrecen apoyo a las mujeres que quieren tener un parto vaginal sin el uso de drogas, o parto natural. En Edmonton tenemos: la Asociación para las Opciones Seguras de Parto (en inglés es ASAC, Association for Safe Alternatives in Childbirth) la cual publica esta revista de Birth Issues ; y la otra es la Asociación de Edmonton de Apoyo al PVDC (PVDC es Parto Vaginal Después de Cesárea, VBAC en inglés), la cual es un capítulo de ICAN, la Red Internacional de Reconocimiento a la Cesárea, siglas en inglés). Las dos se pueden contactar a:

ASAC, Association for Safe Alternatives in Childbirth
PO Box 1197 , Edmonton , AB T5J 2M4
Teléfono: (780) 425-7993, y correo electrónico: info@asac.ab.ca
Reuniones de Película e Información son el 1er Miércoles de cada mes

Edmonton VBAC Support Association/ICAN of Edmonton
7604-153 Street Edmonton , AB T5R 1N4
Teléfono: (780) 444-3041, y correo electrónico: edmontonVBAC @ yahoo.ca
Reuniones de apoyo son el 4to Jueves de cada mes

Claudia (Gómez) Villeneuve nació en Barranquilla , Colombia , pero vive en Edmonton , Canadá, hace más de 10 años. Su primer parto fué una cesárea por falta de progreso en la labor, luego tuvo un PVDC, parto vaginal después de cesárea en la casa, en una piscina de agues cálidas, con una partera. Ellas es ingeniera civil y asistente de partos, o doula.

 

Childbirth Options

By: Claudia Villeneuve

The desire to give birth vaginally and without the use of drugs has become a barrier for many women in Alberta . Every day we see more news of the movie and television actresses that planned their Caesareans for certain dates and to avoid the pain of labour (but not the surgical postpartum pain), or medical studies promoting elective or mandatory Caesareans because the baby is breech, because the baby seems large or because the woman already has had a previous Caesarean. The reality is that Caesareans must be used as a last resort since they expose the woman and her baby to very serious surgical complications.

There are multiple options available to give birth, but the options offered by the traditional medical system diminish every day. Remember that your options STILL are:

To enjoy the pregnancy without invasive examinations:

There is no necessity for women to undergo routine ultrasounds and amniocentesis. Each one must take place when there is a serious symptom, and when there are specific risk factors. Even so you can refuse all of them knowing that unless you are going to abort the baby, it is not necessary to do anything until he or she is born. Two main factors that do affect the pregnancy are nutrition and social support. Eat very good food and maintain many friendships, since your physical and emotional state depends on it.

To choose a doctor or a midwife, and to give birth in the hospital or at home:

In Alberta the services of a midwife are not covered by medical insurance, whereas the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta has prohibited its members to do births at home. Even so, you can hire a midwife and give birth at home or hospital, if you prefer, and to pay them directly. The rates of Caesarean and anesthesia are much lower with them, and the rates of maternal satisfaction are much higher. Hundreds of Albertan women, from all economic and educational levels, have chosen midwives and have given birth safely and joyfully at home.

To have control over the birth process:

In all cases, without exception, the woman retains control on the type of medical care that she receives, and she has the right to accurate information on each birth option. In hospitals today, there is an imbalance on the type of information and the care that women receive. As a result there is an epidemic of labour inductions, epidurals, and Caesarean operations, without improving the health of women and their babies.

There are many organizations in Alberta who offer support to women that wish to have a vaginal birth without the use of drugs, also referred to as natural childbirth. In Edmonton they are: the Association for the Safe Alternatives in Childbirth which publishes this magazine Birth Issues ; and the other is the Edmonton VBAC Support Association/ICAN of Edmonton (VBAC is Vaginal Birth After Caesarean), which is chapter of ICAN, the International Cesarean Awareness Network. The two can be contacted at:

ASAC, Association for Safe Alternatives in Childbirth
Mailing Address: PO Box 1197 , Edmonton , AB T5J 2M4
Phone: (780) 425-7993, and email: info@asac.ab.ca
Film & Information meetings take place on the 1 st Wednesday of every month

Edmonton VBAC Support Association/ICAN of Edmonton
Mailing Address: 7604-153 Street, Edmonton , AB T5R 1N4
Phone: (780) 444-3041, and email: edmontonVBAC @ yahoo.ca
Support meetings take place on the 4th Thursday of every month

Claudia (Gómez) Villeneuve was born in Barranquilla , Colombia , but has been living in Edmonton , Canada , for more than 10 years. Her first birth was by Caesarean, because of failure to progress in labour, later she had a VBAC, vaginal birth after caesarean, at home, in a birthing pool, with a midwife. She is a civil engineer, and a labour assistant, or doula.

This article and its Spanish translation were published in the Fall 2005 issue of Birth Issues magazine, published by ASAC in Edmonton .

 

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