In Episode 74 of The Road to Wisdom Podcast Chloe and Keshia chat with Dr. Stu Fischbein, an obstetrician with a distinctive outlook on home births and high-risk pregnancies, shares his journey from traditional medical training to advocating for a more natural approach to childbirth. He discusses the complex criteria that define high-risk pregnancies, the impact of increasing medical interventions on birth outcomes, and the financial incentives that influence the current healthcare system. Our conversation underscores the importance of informed consent and the need for women to reclaim autonomy in their birthing choices.
Dr. Stu also highlights the urgent need for a legal defense fund to protect midwives facing harassment and legal challenges, stressing the essential role midwives play in supporting women’s birth choices. He discusses the rise in free birth as a response to negative hospital experiences, noting the associated risks and the effect of media portrayals, which often skew public perceptions of childbirth. We explore how fear tactics are sometimes used by medical professionals to control birthing decisions, and Dr. Stu advocates for women to be proactive, educating themselves and asking critical questions about their care.
We also touch on concerns around vaccination during pregnancy, particularly around the lack of comprehensive testing on vaccines given to expectant mothers.
Dr. Stu’s journey reflects a move away from conventional obstetrics toward a more holistic approach to childbirth, where high-risk pregnancy designations often stem more from physician comfort levels than strict medical guidelines. He observes that the medicalization of childbirth has led to an increase in interventions without improving outcomes for mothers and babies, causing anxiety and reducing autonomy for women labeled as high risk. Financial incentives in healthcare can also compromise the quality of care women receive.
The episode highlights that home births can offer a safer, more supportive environment for low-risk pregnancies and notes how the current obstetric model frequently neglects the emotional and psychological impacts of interventions on mothers. Informed consent emerges as crucial for empowering women to make decisions about their births, and Dr. Stu calls for greater accountability within the healthcare system for rising intervention rates and suboptimal outcomes. A cultural shift is needed to support midwives and obstetricians in practices that prioritize women’s health and autonomy, with legal action necessary to protect midwives from undue judgment or legal repercussions by obstetricians.
With the increasing popularity of free birth, Dr. Stu notes that women often feel pressured into this option due to past trauma from hospital births, which tend to have higher intervention rates. He also points out how media often portrays free birth negatively, without context, and addresses how fear is used to manipulate women’s birthing decisions. Dr. Stu urges women to take charge by educating themselves about their birth options, interviewing care providers early on, and critically assessing information, particularly regarding the safety and efficacy of vaccines during pregnancy.
Dr Stu can be found at http://www.birthinginstincts.com/
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