The Battle over Birth

'The revelation of diverse perspectives from different standpoints, will sharpen the readers motivation to understand the ongoing deliberations and debates about birth care and its contested space. As the narrative unfolds it’s important to remember that the esteemed knowledge of the person giving birth, places them at the centre of all care and decision making. Enjoy reading this fascinating book, that seeks to clarify and restore to its former space, the phenomenon of birth care and its complex biological, psychological, social, and cultural dimensions.' - Professor Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent OBE, Chief Midwife, ICM 'Polarisation of ideologies has become a key feature in research, analysis and service development in maternity care, hampering progress. This book provides a fresh perspective on the debate through a range of perspectives, disciplines, and national contexts. In seeking to break down current binaries, it provides an essential grounding for bridging the divides, and, potentially, opening up new spaces for optimising maternity care for all.' - Professor Soo Downe, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Lancashire 'This diverse and multifaceted collection foregrounds dialogue, contestation, and dilemma in its exploration of childbirth across a range of transnational contexts. 'Good birth care' emerges as a political, cultural, and epistemic space in dynamic flux. Tracing the tensions inherent in normative concepts and frameworks, this edited collection seeks to intervene in binary thinking, and is a timely, nuanced, and valuable contribution to critical scholarship in the arenas of childbirth, maternity care, and reproductive justice.' - Dr Rachelle Chadwick, Senior Lecturer in Gender-based Violence, University of Bristol