How Childbirth Became a Profitable Assembly Line

Childbirth was once a midwife-led event, but by 1920, doctors began training the next generation to treat even normal birth as inherently "pathologic". This shift wasn't about safety—U.S. maternal deaths actually peaked while these invasive practices took hold. Today, the "business of being born" is driven by financial incentives: a C-section can cost nearly twice as much as a vaginal birth. The current system is quietly built to reward speed and intervention over patience, turning the delivery room into a liability-driven assembly line. #BirthBusiness #MedicalHistory #Midwifery #HealthcareCosts #PatientAdvocacy