A little while ago I wrote a post about so-called “natural” childbirth, prompted by libertarian-leaning commentary that was rather scathing of women who opted for birth without pain relief, implying that such women were all hippy earth mothers who were failing to acknowledge the contribution scientific progress has made to the quality of human life.

I think this view is bullshit, and I find it sad that someone who writes on issues of liberty can perpetuate such damaging assumptions without thinking just a little. Two points:

1. The complete medicalisation/hospitalisation of labour generally does not provide a suitable environment in which to give birth; unnecessary technical and surgical interventions are often forced onto women who do not conform to hospital criteria and this coercion increases the need for pain relief (both interventions and most pain relief options also entail some level of risk to either the safety or wellbeing of mother and baby)
2. Birth outside of a hospital environment (whether at home, in a birthing centre, or midwife-led unit, for example) is not actually “natural” and neither would women want it to be – 21st century women who choose these options benefit greatly from excellent sanitation, nutrition, access to regular antenatal and postnatal care, as well as emergency access to pain-relief or medical treatment as required

These two points lead me to a couple of conclusions:

1. That any comparisons between women who choose not to go to hospital to have their babies and women who long ago grubbed around “in the wild” to deliver are completely invalid
   
2. If hospitals de-institutionalised and de-proceduralised childbirth, offering a similar environment to home, birthing centres, or midwife-led units, they too would see similar outcomes in terms of the super-low numbers of episiotomies, assisted deliveries, caesarean sections, and mortalities (not to mention the increased wellbeing and bonding of mother and child).
   

Unfortunately, the doctor commenter on my original post didn’t appear to understand this. The comment was an excellent manifestation of many of the concerns I raised in that post regarding the prevailing medical attitude towards childbirth.

I answered the comment by reiterating the points I make above, for which there is an abundance of qualitative and quantitative evidence. In addition, the next day the NHS was once again headline news, and so I would just like to add my own, very personal and individual perspective on this:

Dude, this is my local hospital – and that’s the way it was when I was finally blackmailed by one of your colleagues into going there to give birth in 2007. Like many other women, it was the worst and most abusive experience of my life. Telling me I should be grateful that we both survived simply does not cut it with me in this day and age. Even if there wasn't evidence to support the safety of birth out of hospital (which there is) that still doesn't mean that birth in hospital is necessarily safe, sensible or desirable.