MATERNAL POSITIONS
Historical Perspectives
A large majority of women (68%) currently give birth either flat on their backs (supine) or in a semisitting (23%) position. Less commonly used birth positions include upright (sit- ting, standing, or squatting) (4%), side-lying (3%), and hands- knees (1%) 4 Historical evidence indicates that women all over the world traditionally gave birth in upright positions, such as standing, squatting, or sitting. The lithotomy position for birth began with the advent of forceps in the 18th century and became increasingly common with the popularization of male physician-attended birth 2,5 By the early 20th century,