Creating a child should be one of the most natural processes for humans. However, this is not always the case and a study published by NBC shows that five million babies born in the last 36 years arrived as a result of in vitro fertilization (IVF).
The triumph of science
Prior to 1978, those couples who had fertility problems or physical abnormalities that limited the chance of creating a baby naturally had few options for having a child of their own. IVF allows many parents the possibility of conceiving a child. Of course, adoption is always an option, as is surrogacy, but many couples reject this course of action.
Science and babies
Developments in science have made the whole process of making and carrying a baby much safer. From as early as ten days following a missed menstrual cycle a woman can now go to her local pharmacy and request an over the counter pregnancy test, this marks huge scientific developments from the days when your doctor had to take a sample of your blood in order to report if your were pregnant or not. The Mayo Clinic has published many articles about the efficiency of home testing, and advises you go to your healthcare practitioner as soon as the results are positive.
How to protect you and your baby, through science
Any woman who is pregnant will be asked to come along to a clinic to have a scan. This process protects both the mother and the unborn child and in some cases can even save the mother’s life. If you are unlucky enough to have an ectopic pregnancy, this is where the fertilized egg starts to grow in the fallopian tubes rather than in the safety of the womb, then an early scan will detect this condition. If the baby continues to grow undetected, in this instance, hemorrhaging could lead to death.
The positive aspect of scans
USA News published an article highlighting the benefits of early scans for mothers, which said that, ‘researchers concluded that transvaginal ultrasound is the single best way to evaluate a suspected ectopic pregnancy.’ Experts agree that ectopic pregnancy is the ‘leading cause of pregnancy-related death in the first trimester and causes up to 6 per cent of pregnant women’s deaths in the early stages of pregnancy.’
Mother nature isn’t always kind
There is a prevalent myth that having a baby is easy and that mothers should rely on their own natural body rhythms when having a baby. If this is truly the case, then US statistics make grueling reading. According to NBC, ‘ The United States may be one of the richest countries in the world but has a very high rate of infant mortality.’ Some of these deaths could be prevented if pregnant women trusted in science in conjunction with their own natural instincts.
Science in childbirth
From aided conception, to the process of childbirth, science can play a major part. Some women may start their labor in a birthing pool, but a fetal heart monitor can indicate distress, so the birth plan may have to change. Scientific developments should be viewed as positive, and if technological progress helps more women have healthy babies, this must be why more mothers should believe in science when having a baby.
This is a guest post. Links have been provided. Image via Google.
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