Most other species will seek a private, dark and safe space in which to give birth, usually by themselves. If an intruder appears the fight or flight mechanism is triggered. The family is alerted, and the midwife or physician is contacted. Anxiety levels rise and the need to get the birthing mother to the hospital or the midwife to the home is paramount. Often when the midwife arrives, or the mother arrives at the hospital, everything stops.
Contractions cease or modify.
The cervix ceases to open and often the situation is diagnosed as premature. The midwife sits down to wait, or in the case of a hospital delivery the mother is sent home. Commonly, on the way back home from the hospital or when the mother reaches home, contractions start coming in again full and strong. Quite often birth takes place in the car on the way back to the hospital. If the mother waits at the hospital or the midwife stays with the birthing mother, birthing can be delayed over hours or even days, no matter how kind and supportive the birth attendants or physicians are.