Myth: An obstetrician provides the best maternity care for mothers and babies.

Reality: "Analysis of national perinatal statistics from Holland, 1986, demonstrates that for all births after 32 weeks' gestation mortality is much lower under the non-interventionist care of midwives than under the interventionist management of obstetricians at all levels of predicted risk. The finding confirms...the conclusions of all earlier impartial analyses from...other countries." --Tew and Damstra-Wigmenga 1991

• In Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland, which have lower perinatal mortality rates than any other country in Europe or North America, over 70% of births have a midwife as the only attendant.
• "Routine obstetric management does not produce benefits and may increase risks." (Goer)
• "Intervention rates depend on philosophy of practice, not medical risk." (Goer)
• "One reason midwives have lower intervention and cesarean rates is [that] their clients have fewer epidurals." (Goer)
• "Midwifery reduces intervention rates, but how much and which ones varies widely." (Goer)
• "When obstetricians control policies and protocols, midwives' intervention rates tend to go up. Conversely, intervention rates are lower where midwives operate independently." (Goer)
• "Midwives are the best experts on normal birth." (Wagner)
• "Midwifery can and should be an autonomous profession." (Goer)