Trainee doctors need to witness more normal births.

When I was giving birth to my daughter I allowed a student midwife to be with me throughout the prenatal period and during the birth as part of her course requirements. She informed me that natural births were rare as hens teeth, that it was very hard for student midwives to find any. I can only imagine that the situation is as dire for trainee doctors. Though I'm sure their version of normal is a long way from mine. I do not consider a birth in a brightly lit room full of medical equipment with five or six strangers present to be "normal".... but I'm funny like that.

What follows is my two cents on a lament by a Queensland Prof. that trainees could not get in to witness normal births:

As a woman who only permitted midwives and student midwives to attend her both during her pregnancy and labour (with the exception of some routine medical tests done by my GP) I can understand why women would not want a student doctor coming in at the end for a "sticky beak".

Not only is it a moment that should, as far as the woman wants it, be deeply private; last minute attendance implies that the baby's exit is all there is to a normal birth.

However, I wholeheartedly agree that not enough trainee doctors are exposed to normal births. I think that the best way to increase exposure is to have a trainee follow the whole process with the permission of the mother.

Andy's suggestion that public patients should not be able to opt out betrays a deep disrespect for the privacy of birthing women. That kind of solution is unnecessarily draconian and implies that privacy is a privilege for the wealthy.

If someone had asked me whether a student doctor could follow me through the prenatal period and the birth I probably would have said yes (I said yes to the student midwife after all). But strangers at my birth? Not unless something has gone very very wrong.