These graphs show trends in the US, with some comparisons

to the average for all OECD (developed) countries. The

measures include the rate of cesarean sections5, the average
cost of labor delivery7, infant death rate5, maternal death
rate6, and low birth rate5.

http://www.mappinghealth.com/maternitycare

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-worldfactbook/rankorder/2223rank.html

The United States is the most expensive country in the world to have a baby, but despite all of the money
we are spending there are still 49 other countries who are spending less than we are with better outcomes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52zteu7my7w
http://www.birthologie.com/which-countries-in-the-world-have-the-best-birth-outcomes/

Interventions

http://mana.org/about-midwives/what-is-a-midwife

http://mana.org/about-midwives/what-is-a-midwife

The largest ever examination of planned home births in the United States found that among lowrisk women, planned home births result in low rates of birth interventions without an increase in
adverse outcomes for mothers and newborns, and result in health benefits to mothers and their
infants.
The studywhich looked at nearly 17,000 women and their newbornsfound that for planned
home births with a midwife in attendance:
Over 93% women had a normal physiologic birth
A cesarean rate of 5%
Only 2.5% of babies admitted to the NICU in the first six weeks of life
87% of women with previous cesareans had their babies vaginally
Of the 10.9% of women who transferred from home to hospital during labor, the majority moved
for non-emergent reasons, like a slow, non-progressing labor, or maternal exhaustion
At six weeks postpartum, nearly all babies were breastfed
http://mana.org/research-1

https://nwhn.org/routine-midwifery-carewhy-not-here

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2352687/How-cost-giving-birth-U-S-TRIPLED-1996-9-775--thanks-expensive-fees-epiduralplacenta-removal.html
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2223rank.html
http://chriskresser.com/natural-childbirthv-epidural-side-effects-and-risks
http://evidencebasedbirth.com/updated-tableon-the-state-of-maternity-care-in-the-u-s/
http://chriskresser.com/natural-childbirth-vi-pitocinside-effects-and-risks

http://mana.org/about-midwives/what-is-a-midwife