Reproduction: First Response

The article, Late Pregnancy, Labor Induction and the Occupy Uterus Movement, gave some important insight on how our society thinks about birth. It seems like many people want to control when the baby is born including mother, fetus and the doctor, and it is interesting to think about who should really be in control of this. The article talks about how the fetus knows what the right time is right and although we may know a few ways that could help to stimulate contractions, is it better for the baby and mother to try and get the baby to come out around a certain date? It seems like we have come to trust doctors more on what is right and the point about the due date was interesting. I knew that I was not born on my due date and neither were my siblings so to me I have always thought of it as an estimate but I’m sure to a pregnant women they are worried about the baby and from the article some seem to think that if the baby is not born by that day they have failed. I think it was good that it was pointed out that due dates are inaccurate and women need to be aware that the fetus knows when it should come out. I can also see how this relates to the Business of Being Born and how pregnant women will completely trust their doctor and could easily be persuaded to take interventions while in labor, something the moms may not have wanted. I think this shows how our society may need to talk about this process more especially since we have access to so many resources it must be very overwhelming for new parents to look at all these choices and not know which the best option is.