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Comment by marmaduke | Hacker News Reader

Is an epidural assumed in all this discussion? The mothers I know who didn’t have the epidural didn’t have these nightmare symptoms, while those who did or had a C section were worse off.

(I’m assuming competent medical staff and follow up, but I realize that’s a difficult one in the US and elsewhere)

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I have had two vaginal deliveries. They both involved an episiotomy. I have never had an epidural. Both deliveries were completely drug free.

Episiotomy: A surgical cut to the vaginal tissue to prevent tearing.

Epidural: Spinal pain block.

Totally unrelated procedures.

What you think about artificial womb? Would you prefer to make forced birth one month earlier, when baby is small, and then raise it in artificial womb for month or two?

https://gizmodo.com/for-the-second-time-researchers-have-use...

I have never heard of this before. I'm not going to give an opinion off the cuff on something I know nothing about.

What would an epidural have to do with tearing and episiotomies?

Higher rate of complications during birth, more interventions (instruments), which in turn are associated with tearing/episiotomy. The implication that this never happens without an epidural is wrong of course.

Gotcha, makes sense when I think about it. But it's tough to say MN a given case whether complications wouldn't have occurred without the epidural. Sigh, it's a tough call.

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