We want a maternity care system that recognizes
YOU OWN YOUR BODY
We are working to dismantle the monopoly that tells us how, where, and with whom we are ‘allowed’ and ‘not allowed’ to give birth.
Free Quick Guide – Know Your Rights!
Learn about your most important basic rights during hospital birth
AND START MAKING EMPOWERED CHOICES!
THE FACTS
ON AMERICAN MATERNITY CARE
At least 98% of U.S births happen in hospitals, over 90% with physicians rather than midwives
We have the most expensive, worst performing maternity care system in the developed world
Birthing people are regularly subject to traumatic, dehumanizing care and rights violations
A state-enforced hospital monopoly severely restricts our ability to opt out of this system
Learn about
WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT
Hi, I’m Cristen, founder of Birth Monopoly
When I was pregnant and gave birth to my son, I saw the dysfunction in our maternity care system firsthand. Many of the messages I received were intended to encourage a compliant patient, not an informed and active participant. As the woman giving birth, I felt more like a passenger than a driver.
My experience sparked a career change from public affairs to study American maternity care and women’s rights within it. Since 2012, I have been passionately raising awareness about the abuse of power and obstetric violence running rampant in the maternity care system. My goal is to support birthing people in demanding their rights, options, and power. Together, we can topple the monopoly on childbirth that constrains those rights and options so much… and put birth on birthing people’s terms.
LATEST ARTICLES
Why Don’t We Report Assault in Sex and Birth?
There are two traumas that happen when an assault occurs. The first is the event itself. The second is when people you trust don’t believe you about it.
5 Obstetric Violence Prevention Tips
5 Obstetric Violence Prevention Tips: 1. Don't assault someone while they're giving birth. 2. When you are attending someone giving birth and you don’t have permission to touch them, don’t touch them. 3. Use the Buddy System! If it is difficult for you to stop...
Ep. 38 – Filing a Hospital Complaint | Dr. Tracey Vogel
Dr. Vogel walks us through the bureaucratic structure of hospitals and how they receive and process grievances. We also discuss how people can effectively use their voice during birth in advocating for themselves, and the must-have details that you want to be captured if you are pulling together a formal written complaint.
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