The Business of Being Born
Birth is a miracle, a rite of passage, a natural part of life. Butbirth is also big business. This documentary questions the way American women have their babies.
Quick Review
- Educational
- Inspiring
- A must for any mother (or father) to-be.
Detailed Review
The film's fundamental hypothesis: Should most births be viewed as a natural life process, or should every delivery be treated as a potential medical emergency?
As Abby states in 'The Business of Being Born':
"I discovered that the business of being born is another infuriating way medical traditions and institutions, hospitals and insurance companies, actually discourage choice and even infringe on parents' intimate rites, ultimately obstructing the powerful natural connection between mother and newborn child."
To most people, the idea of giving birth outside of a hospital seems foolish and even dangerous:
- Why would any parent limit their newborn's access to technology in the event of an emergency?
- Why would any couple put their child's life in the hands of a midwife instead of an obstetrician?
But as obstetrician Dr Michel Odent, bluntly states: "Most obstetricians have no idea what a birth can be like."
And Susan Hodges, president of the organization called Citizens for Midwifery states:
"Very few doctors have ever observed a normal birth, either in medical school or in the hospital. It [normal birth] is almost an oxymoron."
Historical Medical Interventions
'The Business of Being Born' touches on a number of past medical interventions that have gone terribly wrong.
The film explores the use of the drug scopolamine in the 40s, 50s and 60s that put mothers into a kind of "twilight sleep" that didn't stop pain, but merely eliminated the memory of pain by attacking the brain functions responsible for self-awareness and self-control, resulting in a kind of psychosis, followed by post-traumatic stress-like memories in thousands of new mothers.
In the 30s doctors routinely took x-rays of the pelvis, resulting in babies with cancer.
In the 70s, use of the drug thalidomide, used for morning sickness, caused birth defects, while in the 90s, the drug Cytotec (misoprostol or prostaglandin E1) was used to stimulate contractions in mothers who had undergone previous Cesarean section.
This was later found to cause ruptured uteruses and high infant mortality.
Conclusion
As the nation's heath care crisis continues to grow, the filmmakers hope 'The Business of Being Born' will ultimately play a role in heath-care reform and raise awareness of the options for parents of the future.
They also hope to enlighten and inspire parents to advocate for themselves and to "own" their birth experience - wherever it takes place.
