Birth in four cultures : a crosscultural investigation of childbirth in Yucatan, Holland, Sweden and the United States / Brigitte Jordan.

"This study provides a cross-cultural comparison of 4 very different birthing systems: American hospital birth, Dutch and Swedish mid-wife handled births, and Maya Indian midwife attended home birth in Yucatan, Mexico. The latter is treated in some detail, since no eye-witness reports exists in the literature. Finally, the status of the evidence and the nature of justificational procedures for obstetrics practices are examined and some implications relevant to change of birthing systems are discussed."-- Jacket.