Korte and Scaer believe that hospitals and doctors think that what they are doing is best, right, and safe for the majority of women and babies. While the social, psychological and spiritual aspects are as important to women as the act of giving birth, doctors focus on the physical act of birthing. Believing that at the time they are handling a birth, they are handling a very dangerous situation, they place most births at high risk, and usually intervene. The authors write of the risks and benefits of modern America's childbirth interventions. Clearly, little evidence exists in support of most obstetric practices, and much of the evidence favors non- or at least cautious interventive management.
Most routine interventions are risks to the health of both mother and baby.
And remember, meeting women's preferences makes the birth safer, for it means less intervention, hence fewer complications. The active management of labor and delivery is leading to an epidemic of cesarean births at great costs to women and their children. Increasing just over one percent a year, nearly one-fourth of all births today are cesarean. While the chances are excellent, with a cesarean, that mother and baby will survive, it is not as safe as a vaginal delivery. The latter is an area physicians pay little, if any, attention to.