HW#38: Insights from pregnancy and birth book-part 1

"Born in the USA" By: Marsden Wagner, M.D., M.S.

1.) The book is broken into chapters that goes into depth of one of the problems involving OBGYN's the author believes should be informed to women in general. These chapters all revolve (so far) about the information doctors never tell patients for their own benefit.

2.) The last paragraph of the first chapter shows an overview of what the author will be investigating throughtout the book, "This book is designed to further an understanding of problems in the maternity care system in the United States." (Page 12) The essential question is would be, What is wrong with the U.S maternity health care system and what solutions are there?

Response: The problems of the maternity system is clearly written in the book, and I find the author reliable enough to gain my trust. He goes out of his way to write a book and hold speeches because of his strong belief in the right of women to be informed of their birthing process. I don't think there is a simple solution because the whole system would have to undergo change.

3.) The major insight from the book is that doctors in the maternity care system put themselves before patients. "The second reason obstetricians want more women to have C-sections is to avoid litigation. Obstetricians are desperate to stay out of courtrooms where, unlike in hospitals, they are vulnerable..." (Page 39)There were other reasons mentioned as well such as for their own convenience and taking less time for the process.

Response: This is both a shock and dissapointment to me. This insight made me realize how clueless I am about too dependent I am on doctors. This is frustrating because I really thought C-sections were only conducted for necessary reasons.

4a.) The public should be clearly notified of the rate of unnesessary C-sections in the U.S.
b.) The public should know that ACOG has no scientific data to support their clain that hospital birth is safer than home birth.
c.)The public should know that 'choosing to have a C-section even when its not medically necessary' can lead to the mother and/or baby to die.
d.)The public should know that C-sections usually happen on weekdays when its more convenient for the doctor, not necessarily the patient.
e.) The public should know that mothers give birth in a certain position only for the doctors benefit. Doctors are not even willing to be below the women even if it will make the birth process more natural.

5.) The author uses the voices of different perspectives to argue his point. He mentions actual birth stories of mothers, statistical data, and questions authorities in meetings. I find the evidence reliable because it is data that is usually hidden from the public. The evidences he uses to back up his claims are redundant though in each chapter.