As a birth doula and childbirth educator I find myself entrenched in the medical establishments fear-based model of care for birthing mama's. What I see and feel discouraged by is the loss of the sanctity and sacredness of birth as a rite of passage because doctors are not even receiving the necessary training to see moms through a normal labor and delivery. Instead, they are being trained to manage the labor using drugs and other invasive procedures so that the birth can be more predictable, attempting to reduce the chances of something going wrong and therefore minimizing their liability. Unfortunately, it is often these measures that are taken to prevent "something going wrong" that actually creates a situation where something can go wrong. Ricky Lake has created a wonderful documentary about birth in our culture called, "The Business of Being Born". Here is a link to the documentary website where you can watch a preview and get more information. No pregnant mama should miss this one!
http://thebusinessofbeingborn.com