Women in France being forced to wear masks during labour

[Aprild25]

Just saw this. Really gave me the rage.

www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-8834045/amp/Women-France-felt-like-suffocating-forced-wear-face-masks-childbirth.html

I ripped mine off while being assessed, there’s no way I would have worn one the whole way through. They would have had to hold it to my mouth if they wanted it on

I threw up almost constantly through transition. Wearing a mask would have not been ideal

Is gas and air dangerous?

More dangerous than the risk of surgery that could be avoided?

Its sold here as pretty much risk free. The most unpleasant side effect being it might make you sick . But if course once you stop its over..

Genuinely curious as to what the issue is with it and why even paramedics carry it fir pain relief here

I mean in the UK an epidural cant be counted on all depends on availability of an anaesthesist

They don't have gas and air in Belgium either - my friend was a bit upset about it because she didn't especially want an epidural but it was that or nothing and she couldn't cope with nothing.

ANYWAY it's ridiculous to make women give birth wearing a mask, and surely pointless - with the rate of breathing, sweat, etc I can't imagine one of those disposable masks is doing anything at all a couple of hours in except distracting a woman who really doesn't need any extra distractions or discomfort.

G&A is not dangerous for women! However it is cheap, which obviously suits the NHS but not so much private healthcare systems who charge a fortune for epidurals. It can be dangerous for midwives however, long term exposure increases the risk of pernicious anaemia, miscarriages and infertility.

Masks in labour is absolutely inhumane! Not a thing here in the UK thankfully, even of a woman is known to be covid-19 positive.

Aaah so its a money thing?

They genuinely aren't that bothered then presumably if a woman ends up needing a c section that could have potentially been avoided?

I'm by no means anti epidural BTW they absolutely have gotten many many women through labour who otherwise would have ended up with surgery also as a result if exhaustion.

Is the after care in these other countries better ? In the UK women often post on here that they are left to try and pick up their babies and recover from surgery on paracetamol.

In Spain this has been the case for a few months now I know a few people who have had to wear it as well

It can be dangerous for midwives however, long term exposure increases the risk of pernicious anaemia, miscarriages and infertility

That’s G and A?! Really?

Nope it's pretty much only the UK that does gas and air. It's nothing or epidural or CS in most other developed countries

Yes, the reason why most countries don’t use Gas and Air is that it leaks out into the room and long term exposure, even in quite small doses has serious negative consequences for midwives, in particular it causes miscarriage.

The link’s pretty solid unfortunately, so eventually the NHS is probably going to face a choice between banning it and implementing more expensive systems that minimise its escape into the room.

Oh wow I didn’t know that!

I always thought it was a safe medicine

The link’s pretty solid unfortunately, so eventually the NHS is probably going to face a choice between banning it and implementing more expensive systems that minimise its escape into the room

It will never cope with increased demand though will it. I mean gas and air is provided for home births which take some of the strain off the hospitals

In order to ban it they have to invest millions into what is often a terrible maternity service in many hospitals.

www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/07/using-laughing-gas-to-relieve-the-pain-of-childbirth/374124/

Fascinating

It’s about reducing the risk. These comments are so unbelievably dramatic. “Barbaric” pfft. That’s an insult to women giving birth alone in third world countries. Sort it out.

Erm, they do make those people wear masks. I know someone taken in to A&E recently by ambulance because she was struggling to breathe (blood clot) and she was made to wear a mask.

@doireallyneedaname

It’s about reducing the risk. These comments are so unbelievably dramatic. “Barbaric” pfft. That’s an insult to women giving birth alone in third world countries. Sort it out.

Oh ffs. There's always one. Don't complain because someone has it worse than you.

There is no compelling scientific reason to put a mask on a labouring woman. Nine whatsoever. It benefits nobody and you're at your most vulnerable in labour you don't need extra shit on top of it.

I see. I assume based on your statement this must be your field and that you will have studied the rationale behind this extensively?

Sort it out.

Sort your own terrible attitude out.

I had a baby in Belgium - no gas and air. It was explained to me that it was all about the money. Gas and air is cheap, doesn't make anywhere near enough money for the insurance companies as an epidural (cost of drug, anaesthetists, extra monitoring, etc). Births are generally far more medicalised, largely because of the role the insurance companies play.

Wearing masks during labour is awful.

There is no compelling scientific reason to put a mask on a labouring woman.
Really? I would think it was fairly obvious that it reduced the risk of passing Covid to staff in the labour room, who will be going on to treat the next labouring woman.
I could labour in a mask.

My attitude is perfectly fine, it’s all of you I’m worried about. Talk about privilege. We are talking about a surgical mask here - “barbaric” Dear god.