The term eutocie comes from the Greek prefix “eu”, Which means“true, normal“A you against”tokos”, Denoting childbirth. It is therefore used to qualify a normal childbirth, and, by extension, a delivery that takes place in the best possible conditions, without complications for both mother and child.
A eutocic childbirth is a childbirth that can be considered as physiological, does not require surgical intervention (cesarean) or medication (oxytocin), apart from the treatment of pain (epidural).
Note that eutocic delivery is opposed toobstructed labor, designating on the other hand a difficult, complicated childbirth requiring an important intervention of the medical profession. The use of oxytocin, forceps, suction cups may then be necessary, as may the use of an emergency cesarean section.
When can we speak of eutocic childbirth?
For it to be said to be eutocic, a childbirth must meet certain criteria.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines a normal birth as “a birth:
- -whose triggering is spontaneous;
- – low risk from the start and throughout labor and delivery;
- – of which the child (simple childbirth) is born spontaneously in the cephalic position of the top;
- -between the 37th and 42nd weeks of gestation ”(weeks of pregnancy, editor’s note);
- -where, after birth, mother and newborn are doing well.
These are generally the same criteria that are used by the medical profession. The onset of childbirth must be spontaneous, either by rupture of the water bag, or by contractions close together and effective enough to allow sufficient dilation of the cervix. Eutocic childbirth necessarily takes place vaginally, with a baby presenting upside down and not in breech, and who engages well in the different straits of the pelvis.
It should be noted that the presence of epidural anesthesia is not among the criteria : childbirth can be eutocic and under epidural, eutocic without epidural, obstructed with and without epidural.