The medicalization of maternity care in the United States : a social analysis

With the advent of the 20th century, American maternity care experienced a transformation, evolving from a distinct ‘women only’ practice to an institutionalized system of obstetricians practicing in hospitals. The medicalization of maternity care is pervasive, perpetuating institutionalized racism and sexism. This dependency on the medical system infringes the autonomy of pregnant women. Sociological paradigms of feminist theory and rational choice theory examine intersections of race and socioeconomic status, exposing the latent and manifest affects of medicalization on the female psyche of America.