After reviewing the Birthing Methods Wiki page, I was amazed to see the different methods in which a child can be conceived. Most interesting to me were the different methods of natural childbirth, such as the renowned Alexander Technique, The Bradley Method, and even hypnosis. I was most intrigued by the idea using “hypnosis during labor to bring a woman into a state of total relaxation where her body’s muscles can function according to the way they are designed” ("Giving Birth Naturally: Natural Childbirth Techniques"). Or similarly, the Lamaze method which uses Psychoprofilaxis; which is a method in which a woman utilizes distractions during her contractions to blur the feelings of pain and discomfort. Many women may feel subjected to the …show more content…
Many factors include the age of the mother and father upon conception, the mother’s nutrition and stress levels, caffeine intake, and the teratogens in which the mother may be exposed to. A teratogen is defined as “any agent that can disturb the development of an embryo or fetus” (Parker). My focus was driven towards stress during pregnancy in this Wiki page, as my interest heightened when I read that the general consensus of developmental biologists believing that a fetus would develop into their genetic “blueprint” if they were given the right nutrients and avoided harmful substances. It is now known that "When the mother is stressed, several biological changes occur, including elevation of stress hormones and increased likelihood of intrauterine infection," (Wadhwa). Risks even include pre-term labor, low birth weight, and even stress-related pathologies passed onto the fetus when the mother is over-stressed during pregnancy. Further epidemiological studies and animal research has also concluded that these babies are more likely to develop chronic health problems as adults, which include heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. The simple, but not so simple fact of keeping a mother stress-free during her pregnancy is not a myth, but of utmost importance right alongside with ensuring her proper nutrition and prevention exposure from