HealthPartners - Preparing for childbirth

CHAPTER 5 Medical Interventions

What Are Interventions? The word “intervention” has several different meanings. When talking about labor and birth, an intervention is simply a medical action taken by your health care team to help with the baby’s birth. Even if your plan was for a birth with minimal interventions, one may become medically necessary to protect the health of you and/or your baby. It’s important to have a basic understanding of the most common labor and birth interventions before you go into labor. This will make it easier for you and your health care team to make decisions quickly if it becomes necessary. Common labor and birth interventions include:

INTRAVENOUS (IV) FLUIDS Depending on where you give birth, you may or may not have an IV line put in place to deliver fluid or medication to you quickly and efficiently. Talk with your medical team before labor begins if you have any questions about having an IV line put into your hand or arm. You may be required to have an IV if: • You are having a cesarean birth or planning to have an epidural block • You have Group Beta Strep (GBS) and need to receive intravenous antibiotics IV advantages • Provides quick access in case of an emergency • Keeps you hydrated, which can help labor progress IV disadvantages • Discomfort when the IV needle is put in place • Harder to move around freely for comfort measures If you don’t want to have a continuous IV while in labor, ask your health care team if a saline lock or venous access port can be placed and used only if necessary.

• Intravenous (IV) fluids • Pain medications • Fetal monitoring

• Induced labor • Assisted birth

64 Your Guide to Labor and Birth