Drop in maternal blood pressure

Drop in fetal heart tomes

Decrease in uterine contractions

Increased incidence of labor dystocia

Increased use of Pitocin for augmentation

Rise in maternal temperature

Difficulty urinating for the mother

Impairment of mother’s pushing ability

Increased use of forceps or vacuum extractors

Increased use of episiotomy and greater perineal trauma

Increase in Cesarean section rate

Increase in infant hypoglycemia

Increase in sepsis workups for babies, including spinal taps, IV’s,
Prophylactic antibiotics, and a 3-7 day nursery stay.

More maternal/infant separation

More breastfeeding problems

Greater incidence of maternal anesthesia headaches

Greater incidence of postpartum maternal back pain

Increase chance of nerve palsy or paralysis for mother, and neurological
problems for baby

If mother and/or baby are not healthy, or progress of labor is clearly not normal, the use of drugs, anesthesia and other interventions may be justified.