I came across an interesting article written last year regarding to maternal mortality rates and the cause of such a high rate in the US specifically. The article does not blame what we have normally attributed causing maternal mortality, in fact it shifts the blame to the one person we entrust with most of our medical decisions-doctors, specifically in hospitals. It blames how the new medical technology is constantly putting the mothers and their children at risk of dying.

This is an interesting aspect that I would have never considered. Doctors are the ones that we tend to entrust with our lives and we rely on them to provide us the best care there is. I certainly do believe in that over use of technology and how the high prevalence of infection is in hospitals that could potentially affect the rates of maternal mortality. But I would have never blamed the medical technology as the reason for the higher rates of maternal mortality. I have always thought of medical technology being a good aspect and one that helps the United States stand apart from the rest of the world’s healthcare system. However, this article seem to argue that there is such thing as too much technology with birth. It does seem to be true to a certain extent. I mean, birth has been occurring for so many thousands of years without one piece of equipment that we have hooked up everywhere in hospitals. Births in third world countries lack these modern day equipment and they still fare well.

What are your thoughts on medical technology for births? Do you think it does more harm than good?

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science_of_longevity/2013/09/death_in_childbirth_doctors_increased_maternal_mortality_in_the_20th_century.2.html