Chapter 639: A Magical Approach to Pain-Free Childbirth!

Garrett had long been interested in pain-free childbirth.

In his previous life, he had lived through an era where the cesarean section rate was 60%, 70%, even 80%. Back then, nearly every expectant mother opted for a cesarean, and natural childbirth was comparatively rare.

Later, it was widely publicized that "abroad, the cesarean rate is less than 10%."

"The World Health Organization recommends a cesarean rate of 15%."

Nationally, policies were enacted to suppress cesarean rates, and there were even rumors of quotas being exhausted, leading to forced natural childbirths that nearly resulted in tragic losses.

Some women strongly demanded cesareans, accusing, "You’re denying me a cesarean because you want to save my uterus for a second child, treating me like a breeding machine..."

However, Garrett vividly remembered the obstetrics and gynecology director who vehemently argued against this trend during a meeting—

It was a vigorous debate indeed; cesareans meant higher surgical fees, longer hospital stays, and more income for hospitals. For doctors, it meant less time and effort and more money, not having to monitor a labor for hours on end.

The director staunchly advocated for surgery based on medical indications, her voice resonant and impassioned as she spoke:

"I’ve reviewed the cases of 2,135 expectant mothers in our hospital from January to December last year."

Her slender fingers tapped the keyboard, flipping a chart onto the projector screen:

"Of the 1,427 cesarean births, there were 385 complications, making a total complication rate of 26.98%. Meanwhile, among the 708 natural births, there were 88 complications, with a complication rate of 12.43%." (Note)

A profound silence filled the room.

The stark difference was startling.

No medical practitioner could remain indifferent in the face of such a comparison and claim that performing unindicated cesareans was correct.

Even if he wasn’t a gynecologist, Garrett knew well the myriad complications associated with cesareans, including but not limited to:

Postpartum hemorrhage, puerperal disease, postpartum infection, deep vein thrombosis, postpartum pain, acute heart failure, postoperative urinary retention, intestinal paralysis, bowel obstruction, and amniotic fluid embolism.

In this world blessed with divine magic, postpartum hemorrhage, puerperal disease, and postpartum infections might be managed with healing spells.

Postoperative urinary retention and intestinal issues, given that anesthesia was administered through divine arts rather than drugs, might be alleviated.

Deep vein thrombosis was a different story.

But what about acute heart failure?

Amniotic fluid embolism?

Other even rarer complications?

Complications that might only occur in extraordinary individuals due to a disruption in magical elements?

The mysteries of the human body are endless. Garrett never believed that his medical skills could achieve a 100% success rate in this world.

With every treatment, every surgery, he treaded as if on thin ice.

If he could work with the body’s natural processes, perhaps natural childbirth was a better option than divine cesarean?

Or, even during a cesarean, using local anesthesia instead of general could allow the doctor to notice any worrying signs. Under a Peace Spell, a mother might not even get a chance to express discomfort.

At least, it could save a significant amount of money, benefiting more mothers...

But he hesitated to proceed rashly. Among all possible pain-relief options, the one he was most familiar and comfortable with, and which consumed the least resources, was the modified version of 【Alleviate Pain】he always used for local anesthesia.

This spell was minimal in its consumption, its local anesthetic effect within a 10x10 cm area roughly equivalent to a Level 0 trick. The problem was, this spell had one fatal flaw:

It treated symptoms, not causes. The moment the spell ended, the residual pain in the body would lash back with double intensity.

Double!

It worked well in combination with healing spells or other surgeries. Finish the treatment within the duration of 【Alleviate Pain】, eliminate the pain. When the duration ended, the pain was already gone—double of zero is still zero.

But for pain-free childbirth, it wasn’t suitable!

For a first-time mother, the first stage of labor—latent plus active—lasts 26 hours, and the second stage, 3 hours. That adds up to 29 hours, whereas the duration of 【Alleviate Pain】was 1 hour per level of the mage.

What timing! Just as the spell ended, contractions would peak, and the pain would double...

Would an 8 out of 10 pain scale soar to 16?!

A mother could be in agony!

"Emmmm... let me think, how should I modify

this..."

Garrett scribbled and scribbled, unable to find a spot for modification. He rushed to the Tower of Heaven, into the grand library to search through papers, yet found no answers.

Of course, with his level of mage and research, a great many papers showed he lacked the permissions to access...

Garrett then rushed to the Tower of Songs to consult Madame Syatt, who had once guided him in this spell. The answer he received was:

"Take my badge, search the Tower of Songs’ Tower Spirit for relevant papers..."

Garrett, with his Master Illusionist permissions, easily accessed a plethora of papers. One, two, three, four—all reviewed, and regrettably, he concluded:

From high-level mages at Level 15 to low-level mages at Level 3, hundreds of magicians had attempted to deconstruct the spell model, to eliminate this side effect.

None. Succeeded.

Were there studies by other types of magicians?

Garrett, steeling himself, went to borrow his teacher’s badge. Surely a legendary mage’s permissions would be sufficient?

There should be no papers he couldn’t read, no magic he couldn’t learn, right?

Then, he heard the Thunder Lord’s cold snort, as if recalling some unpleasant issue. However unpleasant his expression, the teacher generously offered him a suggestion:

"...for this issue, I recommend the Black Crow Swamp. I recall every generation there tends to experiment with vivisection; occasionally, they come up with studies on how to manage pain."

Garrett shivered silently.

Fortunately, the necromancers didn’t intimidate him with live dissections. Instead, led by Archmage Edgar, a group of necromancers, directing skeleton soldiers, unearthed a wealth of papers:

"Looking for pain relief? You should’ve come to us sooner! Look, this is pain medication concocted from mandrake, fairy dust, mummy powder, and so forth..."

Garrett: ...Thank you, I’d rather develop ether myself.

"This method involves severing the spinal cord, dissecting, then reattaching it with a healing spell..."

Garrett: ...Thanks for your enthusiasm, but can we not be so brutal?

"This method involves passing an electric current through the body... Speaking of which, this was done in collaboration with your Thunder Horn magicians! Quite magical, most of the time the current causes intense pain, but sometimes it can make one not feel pain..."

Garrett: ...You’ve developed electric pulse acupuncture anesthesia?!