Childbirth

Childbirth, also known as labour or delivery, is the completion of pregnancy, where one or more fetuses exits the internal environment of the mother vaginally or via caesarean section and becomes a newborn. In 2023, there were about 132 million human births globally. In developed countries, most births occur in hospitals, while in developing countries most are home births.

Vaginal birth is the most common mode of birth worldwide. It involves three stages of labour: the shortening and opening of the cervix during the first stage, descent and birth of the baby during the second, and the birth of the placenta during the third. During the first stage, contractions gradually become stronger and closer together. The postpartum period is the time of recovery for the mother and infant, in which both newborn and mother are monitored. All major health organisations advise that immediately after giving birth, regardless of the mode of birth, that the infant be placed on the mother's chest (termed skin-to-skin contact), and to delay any other routine procedures for at least one to two hours or until the baby has had its first breastfeeding.

Vaginal delivery is generally recommended as a first option. Cesarean section can lead to increased risk of complications and a significantly slower recovery. There are also many natural benefits of a vaginal delivery in both mother and baby. Various methods may help with pain, such as relaxation techniques, opioids, and spinal blocks. It is best practice to limit the amount of interventions that occur during labour and delivery such as an elective cesarean section. However in some cases a scheduled cesarean section must be planned for a successful delivery and recovery of the mother. An emergency cesarean section may be recommended if unexpected complications occur or little to no progression through the birthing canal is observed in a vaginal delivery.

Each year, complications from pregnancy and childbirth result in about 260,000 birthing deaths, seven million women have serious long-term problems, and 50 million women giving birth have negative health outcomes following delivery, most of which occur in the developing world. Complications in the mother include obstructed labour, postpartum bleeding, eclampsia, and postpartum infection. Complications in the baby include lack of oxygen at birth (birth asphyxia), birth trauma, and prematurity.