Midwives have always placed a great deal of importance on the physical space for childbirth, the personal relationships of those who attend the birth, and the metaphysics of the birth spaces to which women will consciously or unconsciously respond. A new book details, for providers, just how critical these elements are to an optimal birth experience – and how most birthing women currently don’t have these options.
While pregnant women’s lack of access to basic medical facilities in India is entrenched, social attitudes around the accepted role of women as childbearers worsen maternal health in the country.
A special edition of The Lancet finds that fewer than a quarter of 68 priority countries are on track to reach the Millennium Development Goals on maternal and child mortality.
