Why Obstetrics is one of the least evidence based, studied form of medicine

I posted on my FB about this the other day. Marsden Wagner is featured in this clip from the Business of Being Born, he was the Maternal and Child Health Director of the World Health Organisation explaining why Obstetrics has been such a hit and miss field. I am not dissing Obstetrics from the perspective that if I had complications that were genuinely high risk, I would use one. But when it's unnecessary procedures, they don't always know the full risks they are taking and/or they don't explain them. Obstetrics is a new form of medicine, especially in comparison to midwifery, an ancient profession.

The first images you see are what they used to do to women in labour.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKZAoEPjHbY