Humanized, natural, and vaginal birth: not the same thing

(And why we need to talk about these words)

Since the beginning of my nursing education, the concept of humanized care has always been present. I learned early on that humanizing care wasn't just a “nice approach” but an ethical guideline. Over the years, from clinical practice to research, and now working as a doula, this idea has deepened, shifted, and been challenged in many ways.

Still, it’s a topic often dismissed or oversimplified. It is as if talking about respectful care were something automatic, something already guaranteed. After all, if humans are providing the care, isn't it already humanized? You might be wondering that.

The truth is that care can be dehumanizing, even when provided with good intentions. It can ignore, silence, violate. It can leave deep physical and emotional marks. This is true in many areas of health, but especially during childbirth, where vulnerability and power coexist.

Humanizing means recognizing the humanity of both the caregiver and the one being cared for

According to Brazil’s National Humanization Policy, humanization is the recognition of all individuals involved in the healthcare process. It includes strengthening relationships, shared responsibility, and valuing the knowledge of each person involved. In other words, it's care that integrates physical, emotional, social, and cultural dimensions.

This kind of comprehensive approach is essential during childbirth. When protocols are rigid or care is overly standardized, what should be a moment of welcome can easily become one of trauma or disconnection.

In practice, humanized care means active listening, shared decisions, and respect for uniqueness. It’s not about rejecting medicine or technology, but about ensuring they are used for people, not on them.

As noted in a 2022 study published in the Brazilian Journal of Health Review, humanized birth care contributes to reducing unnecessary interventions, improving maternal and neonatal outcomes, and reinforcing women’s autonomy in the birthing process. This is especially true when teams are trained to understand birth as both a physiological and emotional-social event.

Humanized birth is not a “type” of birth

This is one of the most common misunderstandings.

A humanized birth can be vaginal, natural, or even a cesarean. It’s not about the outcome, but about how the woman is treated throughout the process.

A birth with anesthesia can be deeply respectful. A birth without interventions can still be violent. The key lies in how decisions are made, how boundaries are respected, and how the body is supported.

According to the Brazilian Ministry of Health’s Humanized Birth and Birth Guide, humanized care combines evidence-based practices with attention to each woman’s individual needs. That includes freedom of movement, the presence of a chosen companion, and early skin-to-skin contact.

Humanization means care that is ethical, connected, and sensitive. It’s ensuring the woman remains the subject of her experience, not the object of a protocol.

So what do we mean by vaginal, natural, and “normal” birth?

• Vaginal birth

A technical term for a birth that occurs through the vaginal canal. It may involve interventions such as anesthesia, synthetic oxytocin, episiotomy, or forceps. It refers to how the baby is born, not how the woman is treated.

• Natural birth

In popular use, this usually refers to a vaginal birth without pharmacological interventions. A spontaneous and physiological process led by the body. But that doesn’t make it automatically respectful. A natural birth can still be traumatic without proper support and consent.

• “Normal” birth

Common in Brazil, this term is often used as a synonym for vaginal birth. But it creates a problematic contrast — if one type is “normal,” what are the others? Abnormal?

Recent studies show that the language used to describe birth directly impacts how women process their experience. When a single model is seen as ideal, it can marginalize and shame those who had different experiences.

Even if culturally accepted, this terminology reinforces hierarchies and social pressure. Many women who go through cesareans or medicalized births feel like they failed. That’s why many professionals now prefer more neutral and accurate terms like “vaginal birth” or “cesarean birth.”

Why do these words matter?

Because language shapes experience. It defines what can be named, claimed, and understood.

When a woman enters childbirth without knowing these distinctions, she may feel lost or powerless. When she leaves birth feeling unheard, that pain can echo for years in her body, her self-esteem, and her parenting.

To understand humanized birth is to understand that birth is not just a clinical event. It’s a physical, emotional, cultural, and social milestone. It’s a moment of power and for that very reason, it needs to be protected with consciousness, knowledge, and respect.

Do you want a more respectful birth, but don't know where to start?

Supporting you through this process is part of my job as a doula.

If you want to know more, I'm here.

References

• Ministério da Saúde. Política Nacional de Humanização (PNH). Brasil, 2004.

• Ministério da Saúde. Caderno HumanizaSUS: Humanização do parto e nascimento. Brasil, 2014.

• Ribeiro, K. A. et al. Parto Humanizado: Concepções e contribuições para a saúde da mulher e do recém-nascido. Brazilian Journal of Health Review, 2022.