We Do Not Know How People Have Babies: an Opportunity for Epidemiologists to Have Meaningful Impact on Population-Level Health and Wellbeing

Purpose of Review In this essay, we explore reasons why epidemiologists should study physiologic birth. We then discuss common pitfalls when attempting to study physiologic birth using epidemiologic methods, as well as possible solutions. Recent Findings Epidemiology, as a field, has largely focused on scenarios wherein pregnancy and/or birth have gone wrong (e.g., preterm labor, birth defects). However, it is vital that we focus on “normal” births as well; lack of epidemiologic data on labor duration, for instance, has contributed to millions of unnecessary cesareans for dystocia (stalled labor). Summary Surveillance requires an understanding of what is usual, so that unusual activity may be detected. There currently exists a dearth of epidemiologic research on birth without interventions, and this lack has led directly to maternal/child harm at the population level.