hehehe you don't need to defend Obs mrsmac we don't hate them here at all and they do have an important place in the system. Everyone has a choice in what care they feel they need, personally I feel that they need not be the first in line for care. as pregnancy and birth does go well the majority of the time especially when there is no interference where it's all normal. But if you have a system where you can get Obstetric care through private health cover and not midwifery care, more are going to go for it, because they can. There is of course also the fear epidemic driving more consumers to this sort of care. Also if you have those trained in things that go wrong in pregnancy and birth to take care of you, they are going to be looking for things going wrong (midwives will do this too of course, but its a bit different!). Not all Obs are like that, but IMO I would like to see Obs doing what they do best once something is deemed to be complicated, not before. Midwives are great, you spend most of your labour with them, so if they can be there when you spend so much time with you already, it's great... an Ob will only be there if things go wrong.

I think once midwifery is back on the private health agenda which should be soon, more women will do it, and see the benefits of it. Consumers do drive the market.

Still then, everyone is entitled to the carer of their choosing. The thing I am more passionate about is women educating themselves, because then it wont matter what care you have because you would be educated in your options, choices and giving birth.