MIAMI—Childbirth is one of the most profoundly emotional experiences in a woman’s life, and in some cases, it can bring up intense, traumatic memories. All too often, though, the emotional and spiritual dimensions of the experience get lost in the bleeps of fetal monitoring equipment and the adrenaline rush of a high-pressure clinical setting.

In today’s economically-driven medical environment, it is very easy to simply forget about a woman’s emotional needs as she enters labor. But Dr. Stafl has found that in many cases, this is bad medicine.

Unfortunately, given the high prevalence of rape, incest, and physical or sexual abuse in the US, the birthing experience can be very emotionally traumatic for many women, said Dr. Stafl.

“About 30% of the women I see have histories of physical or sexual abuse. Always ask about this during your antenatal interviews, because the birthing process sometimes brings up a lot of memories and feelings. It is a very big thing.”

Whenever and however it is possible, let an expectant mother know that you recognize the emotional and spiritual aspects of what she is going through, and that you are open to discussing these matters if she so desires. Fear and anxiety are major obstacles to a smooth birth process; anything you can do to soothe, empower and respect the mother will result in better outcomes and greater satisfaction.

“It is essential that we remember that childbirth is a fundamentally healthy and normal part of a woman’s psychosexual and spiritual life, and take into consideration her thoughts, feelings, concerns and priorities,” said Dr. Stafl. This means allowing women to determine how they want to have their children, and offering holistic supportive care rather than protocol-driven interventions.

“Childbirth is not a disease and we need to encourage the natural processes; 85–90% of births do not need medical intervention,” insisted Dr. Stafl.