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Tables of Contents for The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth
Chapter/Section Title
Page #
Page Count
Introduction: Obstetric Management: What's Wrong with This Picture?
1
10
Why the Gap?
3
2
Why This Book?
5
3
About the Book
8
3
1. The Cesarean Epidemic: Obstetrics on the Cutting Edge
11
20
Myths and Realities Behind the Rise in Cesareans
12
7
What Determines Your Chance of Having a Cesarean and What Should the Odds Be?
19
2
The Cesarean Procedure
21
1
The Bottom Line
22
9
Benefits and Risks of Cesarean Section
22
4
How to Avoid an Unnecessary Cesarean
26
1
Making a Cesarean a Positive Experience
27
4
2. The Full-Term Breech Baby: Cesarean Section Is Not the Only Answer
31
18
What's the Problem with Breech Birth?
32
2
Turning the Baby Head Down
34
3
The Home Version
34
2
The High-Tech Version
36
1
Alternative-Medicine Versions
37
1
The Bottom Line on ECV
37
3
Controversies and Trade-Offs of ECV
37
1
Strategies for Improving the Odds of Success of ECV
38
2
The Bottom Line on Breech Birth
40
7
Trade-Offs of Cesarean vs. Vaginal Breech Birth
40
2
Controversies of Vaginal Breech Birth
42
5
Safety Factors in Vaginal Breech Birth
47
1
Gleanings from the Medical Literature
47
2
External Cephalic Version
47
1
Vaginal Breech Birth
48
1
3. Induction of Labor: Mother Nature Knows Best
49
26
Why Not Wait?
50
7
Convenience Inductions
51
1
Suspected Large Baby
51
1
Prelabor Rupture of Membranes in Full-Term Pregnancy
52
3
"Overdue" Pregnancy
55
2
Tests of Fetal Well-Being
57
1
Cervical Ripening and Induction Procedures
58
2
The Bottom Line on Labor Induction Generally
60
7
Avoiding an Unnecessary Induction
60
2
Pros and Cons of Techniques for Ripening the Cervix and/or Inducing Labor
62
4
General Advice on Induction
66
1
The Bottom Line on Labor with a Large Baby
67
1
Strategies to Avoid Unnecessary Intervention
67
1
The Bottom Line on Induction for Prelabor Rupture of Membranes
68
4
General Advice
68
1
Compare and Contrast Three Approaches to Prelabor Rupture of Membranes
69
2
Advice for Group B Carriers
71
1
Induction for Postdates Pregnancy
72
1
Compare and Contrast Three Postdates Options
72
1
Gleanings from the Medical Literature
73
2
4. IVs: "Water, Water Everywhere, Nor Any Drop to Drink"
75
10
The Illogic of "Nothing by Mouth"
76
3
The Bottom Line
79
4
Pros and Cons of Forbidding Food and Drink in Labor
79
1
Pros and Cons of Routine IVs
79
2
What Should You Eat or Drink During Labor?
81
1
Ways to Minimize the Chance of Aspiration
82
1
Gleanings from the Medical Literature
83
2
5. Electronic Fetal Monitoring and Cesarean for Fetal Distress: The Machine That Goes Ping!
85
14
How Did We Get into This Mess?
86
4
How EFM Is Done
90
2
External EFM
91
1
Internal EFM
91
1
The Bottom Line
92
5
Comparing External and Internal Monitoring
92
2
Situations When the Medical Literature Supports the Use of Continous EFM
94
1
Ways to Avoid the Drawbacks of EFM
94
2
Ways to Avoid Problems with the Baby
96
1
Gleanings from the Medical Literature
97
2
6. When Doctors Break the Membranes: If It Ain't Broke, Don't Break It
99
8
The Amniotomy Procedure
103
1
The Bottom Line
103
3
Pros and Cons of Routine Amniotomy
103
1
Pros and Cons of Amniotomy for Indication
104
1
Avoiding Amniotomy
105
1
Gleanings from the Medical Literature
106
1
7. Slow Labor: Patience Is a Virtue
107
18
Active Management of Labor
110
4
Procedures
114
1
The Bottom Line
115
8
Benefits and Risks of Techniques for Coping with Poor Progress
115
4
Strategies to Avoid the Need for IV Oxytocin, Instrumental Delivery, or Cesarean Section
119
4
Gleanings from the Medical Literature
123
2
8. Epidurals and Narcotics: A Shot in the Dark
125
24
Why You Don't Hear About the Downside of Epidurals
126
3
The Epidural Procedure
129
3
The Bottom Line
132
14
What an Epidural Does
132
1
The Trade-Offs of Epidurals
132
3
What an Injected Narcotic Does
135
1
The Trade-Offs of Injected Narcotics
135
1
The Trade-Offs of Natural Childbirth
136
4
Strategies to Avoid Pain Medication
140
2
Questions to Ask When Helping a Laboring Woman Decide Whether to Have Pain Medication
142
1
Strategies to Minimize the Risks and Side Effects of an Epidural or Spinal-Epidural
143
3
Gleanings from the Medical Literature
146
3
9. Episiotomy: The Unkindest Cut
149
12
Why Are Doctors Still Doing Routine Episiotomies?
152
2
What Is an Episiotomy?
154
1
The Bottom Line
155
4
Pros and Cons of Routine Episiotomy
155
1
Traditional Indications for Episiotomy
155
1
Strategies to Protect the Perineum
156
3
Gleanings from the Medical Literature
159
2
10. Elective Repeat Cesarean: Just Say No
161
16
So Why Hasn't VBAC Become Routine?
162
4
The Bottom Line
166
9
Pros and Cons of VBAC vs. Elective Repeat Cesarean
166
3
The Odds of VBAC
169
1
Factors That Exclude VBAC
169
1
Factors That Don't Exclude VBAC
170
1
Factors That Promote Safe Vaginal Birth
171
2
Factors That Promote a Positive Birth Experience
173
2
Gleanings from the Medical Literature
175
2
11. Professional Labor Support: Mothering the Mother
177
10
Do You Really Need Professional Labor Support?
178
3
What About the Father's Role?
181
1
The Bottom Line
182
4
Pros and Cons of Professional Labor Support
182
2
Comparison Between Labor Support from a Female Relative or Friend and a Doula
184
1
Comparison Between a Doula and a Monitrice
184
1
Choosing a Professional Labor Support Companion
185
1
Gleanings from the Medical Literature
186
1
12. Obstetricians, Midwives, and Family Practitioners: Someone to Watch over You
187
14
The Bottom Line
190
10
A Guide to the Qualifications of Birth Attendants
190
1
Pros and Cons of Various Classes of Birth Attendants
191
2
Interviewing a Caregiver
193
4
When Choice Is Limited
197
3
Gleanings from the Medical Literature
200
1
13. The Place of Birth: Location, Location, Location
201
18
History Reexamined and a Few Current Facts
202
3
The Safety of Hospital Births
205
2
A (Relatively) New Out-of-Hospital Option
207
2
The Bottom Line
209
8
Comparing Birth Sites
209
3
Comparing Direct-Entry Midwives and Nurse-Midwives
212
1
Interview Questions
213
4
Advice If You Decide on an Out-of-Hospital Birth
217
1
Gleanings from the Medical Literature
217
2
Appendices
219
136
Literature Summaries
219
102
Chapter 2
219
8
Chapter 3
227
12
Chapter 4
239
5
Chapter 5
244
6
Chapter 6
250
4
Chapter 7
254
10
Chapter 8
264
12
Chapter 9
276
8
Chapter 10
284
7
Chapter 11
291
4
Chapter 12
295
12
Chapter 13
307
14
Bibliography
321
22
The Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative
343
12
Resources
355
4
Index
359