Predibirth- Creepy?

Alright, you knew a post about THIS mess was coming, right?

To summarize, some doctors in France coupled new computer programming and MRI of the fetus and scored a sample set of women (24) on the predicted outcome of their individual births. An apparent success at predicting birth outcomes, the new software, Predibirth, is being cited by various doctors as a GOOD thing because it will lessen a woman's chances of undergoing an emergency C-section. The idea here is that anyone who scores in a 'less than ideal' range on the prediction software will choose to undergo an elective C-section, rather than risk an emergency C-section thereby decreasing many of the risk factors associated with emergency C-sections on both mother and child.

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Am I the only one incredibly freaked out by this news?!

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Yes, it's only been compared against 24 births, yes, it's going to be years before it receives approval for use, and then I'm sure it'd only be used on high risk cases anyway for a while before eventually, MAYBE, becoming a common technology utilized on all women in the name of safer birth practices. Safer....because...well, cutting into a women before her due date, before she's gone into labor, before her Baby is ready might be considered crazy and creepy and detrimental to all involved UNLESS one cited the save-all catch-phrase,  'safety of mother and child' as a viable reason.

I only know what I've experienced in birthing my own child, what I've seen in the births of the women I've attended as a doula, and what I've read and studied through commonly available sources, but really...there doesn't seem to be much call for INCREASING the elective C-section rate when we're already dealing with a national C-section rate of over 33%!!! Well, over the WHO's suggestion of a 10% rate.

There's no indication that Predibirth is intended to LOWER the overall C-section rate. No indication of that whatsoever, and if we follow through with that train of thought, one might become quite concerned that this will result in a stronger association of fear, risk, and emergency with vaginal delivery. (we're not even talking 'natural', drug-free, here...we're talking pushing a baby out of your womb along the same passageway as our ancestors.) And, with an increase in these associations, and an increase in elective C-section options, then it only follows that more and more women will choose surgery over vaginal delivery simply because it gradually (one can only hope gradually!) becomes the socially 'safer' option.

It's all very sad.