ABSTRACT
Childbirth in Europe in the 1980s has become a much debated issue—a focus of intense and complex power struggles, a place of great pain for some, a financial gold mine for others. For some women, it remains a yearly event beyond their control; for others, it has the status of a desired and planned event; while yet others may want to become mothers but find biology defeats them. Resources for birth—economic, social, and human—are very unevenly allocated. The kind of care given differs from place to place. Survival rates for both babies and mothers also differ from country to country and do not necessarily reflect the amount spent on professional health services. In short, childbirth is a very complex scene.
