The Friedman curve stuff is wild when you really think about it. We're still managing modern labor based on 1955 data from 500 sedated white women, most of whom had forceps deliveries. That's like trying to navigate with a 70-year-old map of a city that's completly changed. I watched a family member go through the "failure to progress" cascade last year, and it was exactly this: confined to bed because of monitoring, Pitocin ramping up contractions, epidural for the pain, then suddenly she's not dilating fast enough. The interventions manufactured the exact problem they were supposed ot solve. Thanks for laying out how these practices perpetuate themselves.
No-one can accuse this essay of pulling its punches...
Truly horrifying. Thank you for bringing this to light.
Thank you so much for putting this wonderfully informative and helpful series together. It should be made available to all prospective parents.
The Friedman curve stuff is wild when you really think about it. We're still managing modern labor based on 1955 data from 500 sedated white women, most of whom had forceps deliveries. That's like trying to navigate with a 70-year-old map of a city that's completly changed. I watched a family member go through the "failure to progress" cascade last year, and it was exactly this: confined to bed because of monitoring, Pitocin ramping up contractions, epidural for the pain, then suddenly she's not dilating fast enough. The interventions manufactured the exact problem they were supposed ot solve. Thanks for laying out how these practices perpetuate themselves.