Are there circumstances or conditions in which women would need to plan a C-section ahead of time?
Yes. If the baby is malpositioned, for example, is in the breech position, a planned C-section is advisable. A planned C-section is also advised for women carrying more than two babies, and in the case of any medical condition of mother or baby for which labour would be riskier than a C-section. You did a study recently that looked at changing the environment that women labour in. Can you tell us about it? There is increasing evidence that the environment sends powerful messages. We know from tons of studies that go back decades that high levels of anxiety and fear in women in early labour will stop labour. Whether we are consciously aware of it or not, to go into a setting where there’s all this technological stuff sends messages that you might need it and can be quite inhibiting. I was part of a Canadian Institutes of Health Research-funded strategic research training program called “Healthcare Technology and Place.” Through it, I was exposed to research on hospital architecture. It’
