An experiment of squatting birth

Women throughout the ages have preferred to be delivered with their trunks vertical and most delivery positions illustrated in historical texts show birth in an upright posture with abducted thighs. A consumer attitude study in our hospital showed that patients have considerable interest in alternative birth positions. Squatting has been advocated to prevent caval compression, increase the diameter of the pelvic outlet and, perhaps with least justification, to enlist the force of gravity and thereby facilitate maternal expulsive effort. Despite the extensive literature advocating squatting birth, the suggested advantages of this method have not been examined in any formal, let alone unbiased study. We therefore conducted a randomised trial to examine the effect of squatting on the duration of second stage of labour, the duration of pushing, and several other variables.