If I may correct some of the information in your post, it is true that countries with the lowest mortality rates have midwives in charge of most births, but only one developed country: the Netherlands, has a substantial proportion of women birthing at home. And just to clarify, it is also true, but often not understood by people unfamiliar with international maternity care systems, that in many countries, midwives function as labor and delivery nurses do here, and in other countries, midwives catch babies, but obstetricians set policies. Under these circumstances, women may be treated just as abysmally as they may be treated here.

-- Henci