Here’s the thing: Yes, birth is unpredictable and you can do everything “right” and still have terrible things happen. But it’s also true that birth could be made much better. There are many shitty doctors and hospitals. I felt the author’s view was incredibly negative about something that some of us have found to be one of the most empowering and positive experiences of our lives. (And no, I didn’t get the births I wanted. Long story for another time.) It is not just the roll of the dice. Your chances of a safe and good birth vary dramatically depending on your choices. And I’ve seen so many women just not make any choice — just let the doctor do whatever. (The rates of women accepting non-medically required induction have much to do with the high section rate. The fewer interventions the better, and induction starts the intervention ball rolling.) I read a review in the NYT yesterday called “Birth Control” about the control of birth by doctors that is think we all should read. My daughter grew up steeped in this — I was very involved with pregnancy/birth/breastfeeding/parenting stuff when she was growing up — and when she had her kids she knew she wanted to interview doctors and midwives and to avoid interventions. She had two totally natural births. It was like she ran a marathon and climbed Everest at once. She was ecstatic and empowered and it was powerful to watch. She got those experiences partly from luck and partly from good preparation and support. I will also note the author seems to have known an uncommonly large number of women with very difficult births. These things do happen sometimes, and it would be natural to see things another way after she’s seen so many of the really sad and difficult outcomes. I was immersed in the babies and birth world for years and can’t come up with so many difficult examples. I would probably have a less rosy view of birth if I’d known so many people whose experiences were so difficult. To sum up my views: Birth is not something anyone can always control, but you can vastly improve your chances of a good and safe birth by reading a lot, choosing good practitioners and choosing to have as few interventions as possible. You shouldn’t have to do this — you should be able to trust your doctor and hospital to have your best interest at heart — but they don’t. Our high c-section rate and our abysmal infant and maternal mortality rates prove it (and those numbers are related, which many people do not understand.) This is a huge subject. It touches on so many big issues, from our shitty health care system, to women’s rights, to women being socialized to let doctors do anything to them … I’m definitely going to write about this. Birth intersects with so much. It’s why I gave very serious thought at one time to becoming a midwife.