The gentle and proven natural birth assistance according to Marie F. Mongan: “HypnoBirthing provides calm, strength and confidence during birth – and reduces medical interventions” (Dr. med. Matthias Maak)

HypnoBirthing according to Marie F. Mongan is the gentle and proven birth preparation method using hypnosis that has been taught in German-speaking countries since 2008 by certified course leaders from the HypnoBirthing Society Europe (HBGE). Since then, HBGE courses have prepared over 60,000 expectant parents to have a positive and relaxed birth experience. "Marie Mongan has created a simple and ingenious concept that gives expectant parents the knowledge and confidence to see birth as something beautiful, natural and doable that they can look forward to," explains Julia Maak , HypnoBirthing course leader, managing director of HBGE and, together with Dr. Matthias Maak, author of " HypnoBirthing. The practical guide ."

Obstetric guidelines: support for hypnosis

According to the current guidelines for vaginal birth, obstetricians are expressly encouraged to comply with the wishes of a woman in labor who wishes to use hypnosis and to actively support individual techniques of hypnosis or HypnoBirthing - such as the use of special breathing, relaxation or massage techniques.

Even though there is still no evidence-based, official recommendation for hypnosis during childbirth, numerous studies have already shown the positive effects of (self-)hypnosis in birth preparation and during birth. "That's why we are doing everything we can to continuously develop HypnoBirthing and bring it closer to conventional medicine," says doctor and private lecturer Dr. med. Matthias Maak, honorary scientific advisor to the HBGE.

Less pain and fewer medical interventions

In 2012, Marie F. Mongan, originator of the HypnoBirthing method, published a publication entitled "Outcomes of HypnoBirthing." In this study from the USA, her team collected survey data from 1,100 HypnoBirthing parents between 2009 and 2011, which was compared with data from two traditional birth preparation courses. In comparison, the data from the HypnoBirthing mothers showed, among other things, fewer medical inductions, less need for pain medication/epidinals, fewer perineal injuries and episiotomies, and fewer caesarean sections. Almost three quarters of the HypnoBirthing mothers stated that they would use HypnoBirthing again and would recommend it to others.

Over 90% of mothers would recommend HypnoBirthing

Between August 2015 and March 2023, the HypnoBirthing Society Europe (HBGE) also offered HypnoBirthing parents the opportunity to rate their birth experiences via an online survey for quality assurance and research purposes. 1,451 mothers took part in the voluntary, anonymized online survey. The aim was to analyze birth preparation with HypnoBirthing from the HBGE in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and to compare it with the US results from 2012. Here, too, the positive effects of the HypnoBirthing method were confirmed. "HypnoBirthing focuses on a positively reinforcing representation of pregnancy and birth," emphasizes Julia Maak. "Through targeted exercises, HypnoBirthing parents learn to promote the release of feel-good hormones and to anchor the desired relaxation response in the body."

In German-speaking countries, almost one in five HypnoBirthing babies was born outside of a clinic, and a good 80% of HypnoBirthing births from the HBGE survey took place in a hospital. Medical inductions were only performed in about one in seven births, and the proportion of mothers who received intravenous painkillers was barely higher at just under 18%. An epidural was placed in one in five women giving birth, and an episiotomy was performed in around 11% of births. The Caesarean section rate was 16.1%, which is slightly lower than in the USA (17.1%). 90.3% of mothers said they would recommend HypnoBirthing to others.

Fewer caesarean sections, fewer episiotomies

For comparison: The general caesarean section rate in Germany in 2020 was over 31% - almost twice as high as for HypnoBirthing births - and the number of episiotomies was almost twice as high at around 20%. Medical inductions were also performed more frequently, namely in 21.5% of births.

In summary, it can be said that HypnoBirthing shows promising and very encouraging effects. "HypnoBirthing focuses on the positive and helps parents to find the relaxation they need," says Dr. Matthias Maak. "Even in special circumstances and challenges, the individual elements of the method can give parents confidence, calm and strength." The positive results of Marie Mongan's 2012 publication could thus also be reproduced in German-speaking countries: HypnoBirthing parents experience significantly less medical interventions during the birth of their child and rate their birth experience with HypnoBirthing extremely positively.

Book tips:
Julia and Dr. med. Matthias Maak: HypnoBirthing - The practical book . Practical knowledge, exercises, checklists and weekly plans for the original method by Marie F. Mongan. With 10 practice cards. Mankau Verlag, 1st edition August 2022, flap book, color, 16 x 22 cm, 157 pp., with 10 enclosed color cards (11.5 x 16.5 cm), 22.00 euros (D) / 22.70 euros (A), ISBN 978-3-86374-658-2

Marie F. Mongan: HypnoBirthing . The natural way to a safe, gentle and easy birth. Mankau Verlag, 8th edition 2021, paperback 15 x 23 cm with enclosed audio CD, 318 pages, 19.95 euros (D) / 20.60 euros (A), ISBN 978-3-938396-20-9
Also available as an audio book, see link recommendations.

Link recommendations:
More information about the guide “HypnoBirthing. The practical guide”
To the reading sample of “HypnoBirthing. The practical book” in PDF format
More about author Julia Maak
More about author Dr. med. Matthias Maak
More information about the book “HypnoBirthing” – the original by Marie F. Mongan
More information about the audio book “HypnoBirthing”
More about author Marie F. Mongan, founder of the HypnoBirthing method
To the reading sample of “HypnoBirthing” in PDF format
Our social networks − for questions, criticism, suggestions