Natural childbirth out - the ‘posh push’ is in

Today, natural childbirth is a medical anomaly in the United States. In fact, many doctors are often thrown off guard when a determined woman insists on natural childbirth without pain medication.

One doctor who was asked about breathing techniques replied, "How do I know? I've only ever done two natural childbirths."

A small but growing number of women who seek to avoid aggressive medical techniques like induced labor, epidural blocks and Caesarean sections find they are a lone voice among their friends and doctors.

Pre-planned Caesareans (the ‘posh push’) are in vogue. Women want to avoid future complications of multiple vaginal births, like uterine or bladder collapse. And today's body-conscious women worry needlessly about loss of muscle-tone.

Now, new technologies, the rising cost of malpractice insurance and even the changing attitudes of women have all contributed to the near-demise of natural childbirth.

With the high cost of liability insurance, doctors must take on more patients to keep their practices lucrative. This gives them less time to wait out a long labor.

Doctors more frequently induce labor, using synthetic hormones like pitocin to strengthen and quicken labor, an intervention that was once used only as a "last resort."

More of the story here.