This up-to-date book takes a critical look at the active management (as opposed to expectant management) of birth in the United States and other parts of the world with many well-researched statistics and facts mixed with a sensible approach. The author asks important questions about why birth has become so medicalized and presents the answers to this from parents, organizations, and professionals, providing important insight on the subjects that most influence fads in the management of birth. Just who are really making the decisions- women, or the medical profession? What are the reasons behind these decisions- evidence-based safety, or convenience and liability? Are cesareans really safer than vaginal birth, or is the active management of medicalized birth what makes vaginal birth less appealing?