Childbirth and the illness focus

Childbirth is essentially women's business, a natural female act being performed since the beginning of mankind. However, as Western society has evolved, so too has the management of childbirth. It is the medical profession that has gained control of providing care for childbearing women, to the detriment of many women's experiences. The societal expectations on childbearing women, the iatrogenic effects of pregnancy being treated as an illness under the medical model, and the implications for the profession of midwifery will be discussed.