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Does Progesterone Prevent Recurrent Preterm Birth?
In 2011, the FDA granted preliminary approval to progesterone injections (trade name: Makena) to prevent recurrent preterm birth, and it has been widely prescribed for this purpose ever since. Was that approval warranted? What has happened since? I’ll take you through the story in this post. To...

Do Epidurals Increase Cesareans?
If you ask most doctors and more than a few midwives whether epidurals increase cesareans, the answer will be a hard “No,” followed by, “Research evidence has shown that they don’t.” I’m here to say, “Not so fast.” I think we have equally strong evidence that they do. Let’s look at the case for...

Water Immersion During Labor & Birth Found Safe and Beneficial
If laboring in warm water or water birth sounds appealing, I have good news. A large review combining data from multiple studies found labor and birth in a deep tub or birthing pool to be safe and beneficial. Let’s look at the details. Summary of the Review What did the reviewers want to know? The...

Introducing “Take Charge of Your Birth” and HenciGoer.com
Welcome to a brand-new book series and a brand new website! I’d like to tell you a little about the new direction I’ve taken—well, same direction and intent, really, but a slightly different path—and why. For the past few years, I have been the person behind Childbirth U. As “Childbirth U”...

How Long Is Normal Labor?
“A revision of existing active labor expectations . . . is warranted, and efforts to do so must supersede efforts to change labor to fit existing expectations.” Neal 2010, p. 31713 “How long is normal labor?” is a crucial question because doctors determine when to intervene based on when...