Women ‘shocked’ after finding out ‘real reason’ why they give birth on their backs

Ever wondered why women give birth on their backs?

Well, if you have, you're in luck as there's a pretty bizarre historical reason behind the medical phenomenon and it has left the internet well and truly 'shocked'.

While it may not be news to everyone, it's clear some social media users have only just caught on, with many rushing to TikTok to share the mind-boggling information.

However, before getting into the shocking reason, it is important to note that it's not just women who give birth, as trans men as well as gender fluid and non-binary people also deliver children.

Contrary to popular belief, laying down on your back is not actually the best or easiest position to give birth in.

If anything, lying down on your back restricts your sacrum and coccyx's ability to move and flex to make room for the baby, who also has to fight uphill against gravity from the birth canal.

So, if it's harder and less comfortable to deliver babies this way - then why do so many people still do it?

Well, it is believed to have all started back in the 18th century with a monarch who had a particularly unique fetish - a birthing fetish.

pictore / Getty Images

French King Louis XIV, who went on to father a staggering 22 children throughout his lifetime, apparently received sexual gratification from watching his wives and mistresses give birth.

Professor Lauren Dundes writes in the American Journal of Public Health that King Louis XIV 'enjoyed watching women giving birth, and he became frustrated by the obscured view of birth when it occurred on a birthing stool'.

Due to this, he 'promoted the new reclining position'.

Previously, such women would give birth in upright, squatting, forward positions often using a birthing stool with midwives on standby to catch the baby.

However, the king was allegedly not happy that such positions and birthing apparatus' obstructed his view of childbirth.

So, in short, he effectively demanded the delivering mothers laid down on their back with their legs apart all so that he could have a better view of the scene.

The study, titled The Evolution of Maternal Birthing Position, claimed the monarch liked to watch for 'perverted' reasons.

TikTok/@thebirthcollective

Dundes added: "The influence of the King's policy is unknown, although the behaviour of royalty must have affected the populace to some degree.

"Louis XIV's purported demand for change did coincide with the changing of the position and may well have been a contributing influence."

I know. Mind blown.

A hypnobirthing practitioner, Tina Pullen who goes by the handle @thebirthcollective online, took to TikTok to share the information and people clearly couldn't wait to respond.

One TikTok user penned: "I always said it doesn't make sense!!! You're suppose to use gravity to get that baby out!"

A second confirmed: "I had all of mine on my hands and knees. Gravity helps!"

"I believe this because my baby got stuck in my birth canal and I was pushing for hours [and] ended up having the forceps used," revealed a third.

A final TikTok user added: "Honestly this should be more well known."

Remember that whichever way a person decides to give birth is completely fine, as long as it is what they are comfortable and happy with!

• Huge change to abortions in UK proposed as women still being arrested
• There’s a surge in throat cancer among men and doctors think they know why
• 'Pregnancy robots' could give birth to human children soon
• Disturbing images explain why we don’t MRI pregnant women