Steve Buonagurio both gains and loses points for being a Michael Moore want to be. He sheds spotlights on what he wants you to see and shadows what he doesn't, but this extreme bias makes his point, and I think it's a good one. A point good enough to make medical system devotees cringe and resent being made to think critically of the things we feel most comfortable not knowing. Be warned this film is not without it's fair share of exaggerations, sappy moments and rookie film moves (an interview with an anesthesiologist wearing scrubs on a congested street corner barely audible due to the moving cars and howling winds comes to mind), it is an entertaining and passionate portrayal of the difficult choices facing pregnant women today. Featuring natural birth specialists Ina May Gaskin and Barbara Harper (RN), and interviews with a full spread of professionals from the medical community (OB/GYN, MDs, nurses, Doulas etc), this is a worthwhile and thought provoking film for anyone who works or wishes to work with women during childbirth. The couple who made this documentary travel to Holland, the "home birth capital of the world" to help inform their own decisions. Interesting discussions with a Dutch family physician follow and I was amazed to learn the 87% of the women in Holland deliver their babies at home. Keeping in mind that Canada does not necessarily suit the American system criticism in this film, there is still something to be learned from other countries, like Holland, that have lower infant mortality rates than we do.
For more information and/or to purchase the film, see http://www.pregnantinamerica.com/
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