Solo Birth Almost Kills Mother and Baby: Doctors Warn of High Risks
Santa, a 36-year-old mother of four who was once an advocate for freebirth, nearly died after a two-day home labor that ended in an emergency C-section. Now she warns others, while doctors and children's protection officials highlight serious dangers to both mother and child.
Santa, now 36 with four children, was previously part of a community promoting freebirth—giving birth without medical assistance. She believed that women's bodies are designed for childbirth and that modern medicine unnecessarily turns it into a dangerous anomaly. She also feared pharmaceuticals and vaccines, popular beliefs in her peer groups.
However, her own experience turned terrifying: after two days of labor at home, hidden from her husband, the situation became life-threatening. At the hospital, she lied about the duration of labor, but doctors discovered that an emergency C-section was needed. She lost consciousness during surgery, but fortunately the baby survived and her recovery was relatively easy. Santa now regrets that her earlier views endangered both her and her child, and her subsequent children were born under medical supervision.
Delfi consulted experts. Professor Anna Miskova, head of the Riga Maternity House Birth Center, explained the risks of solo births. Simona Saule from the Children's Protection Center stated that even an unborn child has the right to a safe birth. Certified doula Jana Biezā also offered her perspective. A representative from another such group refused to comment, accusing media of distorting information.
The topic is timely because these communities organize summer seminars and camps, and readers frequently encounter posts about freebirth, questioning its legality and prevalence in Latvia.
