User talk:Rayner26

Anaesthetic at Birth May Lead to Drug Dependency Later On

Bali does not have a problem with drug abuse. This is due to two main factors. The draconian laws governing the selling of illicit drugs and the comparative rarity of administering anaesthesia at birth. It is only recently that epidurals have become available to the general public.

In the West, drug abuse is a growing and continuing problem with no apparent solution in sight. It has never occurred to the medical profession except for a few researchers and practitioners that it is they who may well be partly responsible for this unhappy turn of events.

When anaesthesia was introduced in 1857 for the relief of pain in childbirth, I am sure that the medical profession heaved a sigh of great relief. At last here was something that would relieve the suffering of countless mothers-to-be. It was not common then to test drugs for future toxicity, particularly one apparently so benign. So anaesthesia for the relief of anxiety and pain became to be accepted without further research or testing. And so it remains to this day. Except that in the last twenty years or so, questions began to be asked as to whether drugs given at birth were wholly without danger to her future infant.

It was Sweden that had kept records of births and what was administered to the mother-to-be that supplied the proof of the dangers inherent of administering drugs at birth. Sweden had quite a high proportion of mothers who had a home birth with no anaesthetic administered. Hospital births on the other hand, nearly all had an anaesthetic. When they compared the outcomes of these two forms of birthing, the figures showed that infants who had received an anaesthetic were five times more likely to seek the relief of drugs when they approached the stress and anxiety of puberty.

So what happens to the average birth that take place without the three benefits of quiet, darkness and privacy. Any mother who goes into labour is very sensitive to any intrusion or disturbance. Many midwives are aware of the likelihood of being sued if anything goes wrong, at least in the West. So tests are carried out which replace intuition and common sense, in order to catch the rare case of a problem.

When a test is carried out or the arrival of someone that the mother-to-be is not wholly familiar or at ease with, the basic survival mechanism that all mothers are equipped with is stimulated into action. Adrenaline is released into her system that is designed to give the energy and drive to either fight off or flee from an imaginary or real predator. When that happens, one of the three muscle in her uterus springs into action. Up to that point, one of the major muscles is designed to bring oxygen and blood to the area. Another is triggered by the foetus to start pushing the new born-to-be down the birth canal. The third muscle is designed to block the foetus from descending the birth canal if the mother unconsciously feels a predator is present. The cervix will close or cease to open and the mother has about 2 to 3 minutes before the pressure of the second muscle is pushing the foetus up against the barrier of the third muscle. As you can imagine unless that third muscle gives the all clear and the cervix begins to open the resulting tension becomes extremely painful and also the mother will start to feel very anxious. Not only will the mother be affected but so will the foetus and will soon begin to exhibit signs of distress, action will then have to be taken.

In order to bypass this pain and distress, an anaesthetic is administered, usually an epidural. Now that is fine, and usually relieves the mother. But the chemicals that are used in an epidural are made from a cocaine derivative. When the baby is born it is affected by the drug and we know now that it will be imprinted with a desire to seek out some relief from strong feelings in the future. Of course that is not a foregone conclusion, intensive nurturing, and a reasonably happy and fulfilled childhood and adolescence will enable that child to bypass that imprinting.

What can we do to minimise the possibility of a future drug addict becoming imprinted? Well, an event at the birth of my own daughter in Hawaii some twenty five years ago points to a benign solution. Get the mother as soon as the fear, fight or flight reaction is stimulated to beat some pillows in a strenuous attempt to safely discharge the adrenaline. After about twenty minutes or so, the adrenaline is usually excreted, the cervix will open and birthing can recommence without undue pain or distress or the need for drugs. This can be done in a hospital setting if staff are forewarned that this may happen and birth can then proceed with skilled and professional help available to ensure both the safety and comfort of both new-born and the mother.

References

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Rayner26 (talk) 22:20, 8 June 2008 (UTC)