Labor Pain In Childbirth

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Labor Pains Women spend hours enduring excruciating pain to bring new life into the world. Childbirth is a necessary component of human existence, however, it is accompanied by elongated periods of physical suffering. Why do women experience intense labor pains? The bible accounts for this pain as the consequence of Eve’s susceptibility to temptation. When Eve, the first woman according to the bible, consumes forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge, God punishes her with the pain of childbirth and the desire for her husband. In the bible, God makes the following declaration to Eve, “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” I will explain how the biblical account…show more content…
Though women do experience pains from childbirth, it is not because of a punishment from God. This pain, like all other pains, can be understood as a biological indicator that something should be avoided. When someone stubs their toe, the pain indicates that the person should avoid stubbing their toe in the future, preventing further damage. This mechanism is evolutionarily beneficial, as it helps humans navigate their environment while avoiding potentially dangerous situations. In the same way, labor pains act as an indication that some physical change needs to take place to prevent the complications associated with a post-term pregnancy. If women did not expel the fetus from their bodies, either the pregnancy would terminate, or the fetus would become so large that the pain of pregnancy would outweigh the pain of childbirth. The pain experienced during labor is similar to pain experienced during a surgical procedure. If someone suffers from chronic back pain, they may choose to undergo surgery to realign their spine, ultimately reducing their back pain. Though the pain from the surgery may be temporarily greater than the initial back pain, it will prevent future suffering. In the same way, labor pains yield an intense, but temporary pain that is necessary to avoid the complications of an overdue…show more content…
Instead of viewing the process of childbirth as beautiful, women are reminded that they are experiencing labor pains because of Eve’s disobedience. According to this view, labor pains are a punishment – something to feel guilty about. I believe that labor pains are natural. A healthy baby must develop to a point where they will be able to function in the external world without extensive medical assistance. This development is in parallel with an increase of weight, while still in utero. To deliver a healthy baby, the baby must be a certain size. Thus, delivering the fully mature baby requires the baby to exit the mother’s body through a relatively small opening, resulting in extensive pain. For women to view labor pains as anything but natural is damaging. Additionally, the fact that this is a punishment from God creates the perception that God is something to be feared, rather than embraced. Eve, who did not receive an explanation as to why she was not supposed to eat fruit from the tree of knowledge, was punished because she gave into temptation. As a result, all women suffer terrible pains along with childbirth for the rest of human existence. This is unforgiving. Women who have not sinned in the same way still suffer the repercussions of Eve’s wrongdoing according to this biblical

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