A BABY THAT CAME FROM BUTTOCKS DIES IN A HOME BIRTH WITHOUT MEDICAL ASSISTANCE

The Monday in the afternoon some parents decided that their second child was born at home, and without medical assistance. When the couple requested help from the emergency service, it was already late: the baby came from buttocks and could not survive.

This tragedy triggers again the alarms about the security of home births. Some mothers choose to give birth outside the hospital, but it is important that certain medical conditions occur (there are no previous complications) and that the delivery is attended by a professional that guarantees the safety of the mother and the baby.

Unassisted delivery without medical controls

Health sources at the Álvaro Cunqueiro de Vigo Hospital, where the mother and the baby were transferred, have explained to La Voz de Galicia that the couple went ahead with their idea of having the baby at home, despite the fact that they had advised against it. It seems that they had tried to contact several midwives to prepare it and that they had been warned that, as the baby was on the buttocks, there was risk and should not be done outside the hospital.

The parents had already had another child born at home, and since everything had gone well, they wanted to repeat the experience. But in this case, it was not so. When they saw that the child could not be born, they called emergencies explaining that "He was going into labor."

In Babies and more A gynecologist recommends not giving birth at home after attending an emergency in the hospital

When the 061 technicians arrived, they did not find any health professionals at home and they transferred the mother and the baby to the hospital. When the doctors arrived they could no longer do anything to save the baby's life, although they tried to revive him. It is not known if he died at home or on the way to the hospital.

The pregnancy was in week 40, the end of a normal pregnancy. But as stated in the official part of the hospital presented in court, the mother had also given up the usual pregnancy monitoring controls, at least in the last month of pregnancy, which is very important.

The Hospital has reported the case to the court and the baby is scheduled to be autopsied. The judge will investigate why you chose not to go to the hospital and will take the corresponding judicial measures.

In Babies and more WHO recommends that pregnancy control visits double from four to eight

The baby came from buttocks

For a home birth, there should be no previous medical conditions such as mother's disease (hypertension, diabetes, gestational diabetes, anemia or heart disease, etc.) or pregnancy complications such as a small baby for gestational age, premature delivery, preeclampsia, multiple pregnancy or babies in non-cephalic position, that is to say buttock or transverse.

It is also important to have followed the controls of pregnancy and maternal age, since home birth is not recommended in mothers over 35 or when very large babies (more than 4 kg) come. In any case, the breech position is considered risky and therefore home birth is not recommended, even if assisted by a midwife.

Although it is respectable to choose to give birth at home, the option of giving birth without help is irresponsible, since it puts the mother and the baby at risk. Giving birth at home may be an option, but as long as medical conditions exist and, of course, with professional assistance who knows how to act in an emergency. Health must be a priority, always.