A positive attitude and lifestyle are very important aspects of a healthy pregnancy, but it also takes good prenatal care and the help of a healthcare professional. It’s important to be well informed about your options and decide on a birthing plan that fits your needs.
If you experience any symptoms associated with pregnancy, your first step is to consult your primary care physician. They will confirm the pregnancy and advise you on choosing specialists to help monitor your pregnancy.
一些家庭实践医生提供产前护理并参加分娩。您可能还会决定去看妇产科医生（OB-GYN）或护士阵营。许多产科医生与助产士一起在同一实践中工作，因此他们可以轻松地分享患者的照顾。
An OB-GYN is a doctor specializing in the care of women and their reproductive health. Obstetrics deals specifically with pregnancy and birth, and gynecology involves care of the female reproductive system outside of pregnancy.
Your obstetrician will guide you through the entire pregnancy. It’s possible that the doctor you have seen for your reproductive health needs may only practice gynecology. In this case, you will be referred to an OB-GYN with an active obstetrics practice.
助产士提供与产科医生相似的服务，但在非手术环境中。助产士通常是护士从业人员，他们在助产士中接受额外的培训。美国的大多数助产士都是在该领域接受研究生级培训的护士。
A midwife can be an excellent option as your primary guide for a low-risk pregnancy. You may need to see an obstetrician if there are any complications that arise during pregnancy, labor, or delivery.
助产士ry and obstetrics can very often be complementary. Midwives don’t perform cesarean deliveries (commonly referred to as C-sections), so that procedure will be referred back to the obstetrician.
许多助产士在各种环境中进行练习，可以协助在医院，房屋或特殊分娩中心发生的交付。
A doula is a layperson who is trained as a labor companion. Doulas aren’t medical professionals. Their primary role is to offer emotional and physical support during labor.
杜拉斯可以在整个怀孕期间或仅用于分娩和分娩。杜拉斯（Doulas）出生后还提供支持和建议（产后）。
It’s becoming more and more possible for women to choose how and where they will give birth. Although most birthing decisions can’t be finalized until the delivery itself, it’s important to understand your options and have an idea of what feels right for you.
Hospital birth
Most babies born in the United States are delivered in a hospital setting. There may be several hospitals in your area. You and your doctor can determine the appropriate hospital for your delivery.
医院有劳动和送货套件和手术室C-sections。Most hospitals have labor/delivery/recovery (LDR) suites, which are large rooms that are set up to allow women to stay in one room from labor through recovery.
许多医院为期望的父母提供了孕妇病房的参观。
出生中心
这些是自然而然的妇女（37至42周）的妊娠并发症风险低的妇女（37至42周）。分娩中心通常具有更多类似家庭的氛围。
The medical care is administered by nurse-midwives or certified midwives. There is no obstetrician or anesthesiologist on site and no capabilities to perform C-sections.
助产士经过培训，以评估整个生育期间的潜在问题，并会在需要时在医院环境中诊断患者的护理。
水生
水生aren’t widely used in the obstetric community, but are more accepted among midwives. Most water births are done at home, but some hospitals and birthing centers offer water birthing services.
倡导水生的人表明，水可以放松母亲，并减轻劳动和分娩。溺水的风险很小，因为新生儿直到接触到空中才呼吸。没有证据表明对经历水生的婴儿的不利影响增加。
对于有并发症或过早分娩风险且需要更紧密监测的妇女，不建议水生。
家庭出生
医院的出生并不适合所有人。在自己的家中舒适的孩子可能是您的最佳选择。不利的一面是，如果在分娩或分娩过程中应出现并发症，就无法立即获得急诊护理。
Professionals attending women in家庭分娩are trained to provide limited medical care such as suction and the administration of oxygen.
随着越来越多的妇女及其伴侣积极参与怀孕和分娩决定，分娩计划变得越来越普遍。期望父母在分娩日期之前填写出生计划，并与医生讨论选择和偏好。
出生计划可能包括：
- 分娩时缓解疼痛
- delivery positions
- 辅助交付首选项
- timeline for holding the baby
- 让伴侣切断脐带
出生计划s aren’t set in stone. They may need to change during labor and delivery if complications occur.
Enrolling in a childbirth class is a great way to prepare for labor and delivery, and gives you the opportunity to ask any questions or voice any concerns to a trained childbirth instructor.
大多数医院提供的课程旨在提供有关人工和技术的信息，以帮助您在分娩过程中放松。您还可以选择在您的家中或社区中心私下进行产前课程。