At first, I found this timidity surprising.
Nobody waits to see if, say, root canal surgery is painful enough to require medication.
Surely after thousands of years of human history, the evidence on childbirth is in. Some even require counseling. It's a culture that has been shaped by an array of professionals, including doulas, who offer labor and post-partum support, and midwives. To be sure, the culture has many good points. Most pervasive among feminists, it has encouraged women to wrest back control of their pregnancy and birth from patronizing doctors.