Historically, physicians lobbied to move childbirth into hospitals, muscling midwives out of practice on the grounds of improved safety and better outcomes.

And they won.

And once they did, childbirth outcomes plummeted. “Childbirth fever” (or infection spread from lack of handwashing) claimed thousands needlessly and birth became a scary, much feared medical procedure.

Now, once again, the modern maternity machine still isn’t satisfied with the extent to which they’ve cast the midwifery model of care into the shadows.

I have to wonder what impact this will have on childbirth outcomes if they are to again succeed.

This time, the effects won’t be evidenced in maternal and infant mortality rates, but in the form of increased fear of medical liability, which will then translate into higher rates of unnecessary interventions, c-sections and other such CYA procedures, not to mention skyrocketing the cost of maternity care services.

One thing is certain this time around – we won’t go quietly into the night. ACOG and the AMA have thrown the gauntlet and we’re here to answer the challenge.