1 in 100 Women Don’t Need Pain Meds During Labor Due to Genetics

I've never personally given birth before, but I have indeed been born, so I'm pretty sure that makes me an expert on this stuff, right?

I was doing a little reading this morning getting ready for today's Moose Morning Show when I stumbled across this article. I'm always stumbling across these kinds of things it seems. This new study shows that one in every one hundred women possess a gene that increases their pain tolerance which, in turn, prevents them from requiring pain medication or other comfort interventions during labor and childbirth.

According to The Daily Mail, the gene, which is called KCNG4, is said to inhibit how the body reacts to pain signals as it deals with what most people would consider fairly agonizing pain. The KCNG4 gene has been called by some a 'natural epidural' and can allow women who opt out of medication during childbirth to have a much better experience than those who don't possess the gene and remain un-medicated.

It's not yet known if men have the ability to carry the KCNG4 gene as researchers have only studied childbearing women to date. More information will be needed to determine what men's response to the gene is, if in fact they even carry it at all.

Whether you're a woman who carries this gene or not, just know that giving birth isn't easy no matter your genetic makeup. You are a freakin' rock-star no matter how you choose to have your baby. Vaginally, C-section, pain meds, no pain meds... it doesn't matter. You're awesome!