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
Birth Monopoly’s signature online course “Know Your Rights: Legal and Human Rights in Childbirth for Birth Professionals and Advocates” is worth 1.5 contact hours towards your continuing education.
Knowing your clients’ rights is the foundation of supporting them in making informed decisions.
A “must” for anyone working in birth–they don’t teach this material in nursing school or most doula trainings!
“This course exceeded my expectations. The materials were presented clearly and concisely with excellent additional resources. It shed light on a lot of areas – particularly the role that universal human rights play – of which I did not [previously] have concrete information to share with clients.”
– From course evaluation
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
Rethinking Consent and Power in the Birth Room
How are we supposed to exercise “consent” in the birth room when we don’t recognize what consent is outside of it–and how power dynamics complicate it?
read more
Spain 2019: Four Case Studies of Lawsuits for Obstetric Violence
Spanish lawyers have filed claims against the state related to the violations of their clients’ human rights in childbirth–with themes of abuse in birth common around the globe.
read more
“One Year Ago Today”: An Origin Story
No one should have to choose between their baby and their provider.
read moreWE’VE BEEN FEATURED IN
