Hospitals running a business, or rushing a natural process?

I wanted to comment on a point that was brought up in class earlier this week in reference to the hospital scene in The Business of Being Born that showed the nurses writing on the board keeping track of the women in labor and which drugs they had been administered, how long they were taking to deliver, etc. In no way do I think that doctors or nurses are bad, and of course I agree that they need to stay organized and keep track of their patients. However, I think what makes that scene so poignant (especially for pro-midwifery) is that it shows the health care professionals treating all the women the same and not considering their personal needs. It's a very business like and determined by the medical professionals wanting to hurry the process up and free the rooms, rather than letting the birth process take it's natural course and happen on it's own time.

I believe that the female body- for the most part- is capable of giving birth successfully and does not need extensive medical interventions. There are of course exceptions to this, and the drugs are there for a reason. But I don't think everyone needs them and I think doctors are very quick to use them in order to push the process along. They do this in order to open up more rooms and, ultimately, make more money. For most businesses, that wouldn't bother me. But when it comes to birth- something to special and unique- I think women should be treated with the utmost care and respect. Their wants and needs should be respected and granted, if possible and within reason. I'm not doubting that some doctors and nurses that work in hospitals do care about their patients and are nice, hardworking people. But, at the end of the day, they have time restraints and will use interventions and other things they were taught in medical school in order to make the process go quicker. For such a natural process, it would be much more comforting if doctors allowed it to just happen on it's own and intervene only when completely necessary.

I think in order for this to happen, maybe nurses should be taught midwifery practices in medical school. Or perhaps doctors and nurses should not be taught about birth at all and leave that specifically to women who are trained in that and that only. It would be wonderful if more women knew that they have options and were fully educated on their choices. Midwifes have a bad reputation, and I would love to see them regain the field that is theirs, or at least bridge the gap between them and doctors and be able to work together. At the end of the day, women and their babies should be the priority. Not making money.