Every year 50,000 women in India die due to pregnancy and birth related complications, almost a third of the global maternal mortality rate. Obstructed labour is a leading cause of maternal and newborn mortality, as well as morbidity in the mother.

Upright, natural birthing positions, such as squatting and kneeling - common in most non-Western cultures - are associated with several benefits such as fewer assisted deliveries (e.g. using forceps) and cuts to the birth outlet (episiotomies). Yet almost half of women in Canada still deliver lying on their backs; this may be a consequence of caregiver preference rather than choice of the mother. 

I conducted research in India and Canada to understand the experiences of women giving birth and the the impact of upright positioning on pelvic alignment. Using MRI and human movement lab data, I developed a computational model to investigate how the pelvis would move during squatting. The model demonstrates the benefits of upright positioning during childbirth.