[Maternal posture during parturition]

Abstract

Human parturition is a painful and sometimes dangerous physiologic process, which has been managed all over the time through mobilisation and various maternal vertical postures. Three hundred years ago, Mauriceau, a French obstetrician, imposed a semi-recumbent position for the second stage of labor, which became largely adopted in western countries. For three decades, spontaneous positions for parturition have been encouraged, based on anatomophysiologic considerations. There is now sufficient data from randomised trials for recommending maternal mobility during labor and various vertical positions for delivery. Yet, the third stage is sometimes more hemorrhagic and should be managed through preventive measures.