Pregnancy and birth are not medical conditions. They are of nature’s design - a natural, physiological process of being human for those in female embodiments.

Do things “go wrong” during pregnancy and birth? Of course. Can we be grateful that those with  health conditions can be supported during pregnancy with modern medicine? Of course. Do some births need medical care and attention? Of course.

And yet, the majority of pregnancies and birth experiences do NOT need medical or clinical intervention for the mother and even less so for baby. In fact, interventions often build upon each other in unnecessary and sometimes downright harmful ways.

Here, we define the Cascade of Intervention, a sample scenario of the Cascade, why you might want to avoid unnecessary interventions and how to do it. We question the medicalization of birth and how to create better birth outcomes.

Show Notes:

Essay on the Cascade of Intervention here.

Pregnancy and Childbirth Complication Rates - US

What are the risks of giving birth inside and outside a hospital setting?

Cesarean Delivery Rate by State

Maternal Mortality Rates Worldwide

Limiting the Cascade of Intervention