Rating: 
Summary: A MUST READ
Review: This book does as another reviewer points out "tells you what is wrong with the OB/delivery procedures used in most hospitals today" and I respond by saying do if you REALLY want to remain in the dark and believe everything that your OB tells you to do or things that are a "must" in a hosptial birth regardless of the pros and cons of that procedure - then don't read this book. On the otherhand if you want to really be informed then READ THIS BOOK. It gives HARD FACTS so that YOU can know what is right for you and your baby and not just blindly do what the doctor says. I have recently bought over 20 books on childbirth and pregnancy and this is only time that I have ever writen a review because I feel that this book is a MUST READ
Rating: 
Summary: this book isn't for everyone....
Review: it certainly wasn't for me. I was hoping to find (and since have, in a different book) helpful information and tips on how to deliver my baby without inducement, epidural, or other medical intervention. Henci Goer's book is about what she feels is wrong with the medical establishment. While her information may or may not be true, it is irrelevent to me... I would have appreciated a more positive approach to what one can do to prepare for a "better birth" (as the title offers) versus her negative approach to what is wrong with current medical practice. The book I ended up buying that has been incredibly helpful, non-preachy, unbiased, and comforting is "Easing Labor Pain - The complete Guide to a More Comfortable and Rewarding Birth" by Adrienne Lieberman. It is unopinionated and very positive and is making me look forward to the birth of my first child and also giving me the encouragement and helpful tips I hoped to find on natural childbirth.
Rating:
Summary: TEN STARS!
Review: I would like to give this book TEN stars. While pregnant, I read a lot of books. This one was outstanding. I cannot stress how important I think it is for every pregnant woman to read this book. Neither your doctor nor your pregnancy/childbirth class will provide you with all the information you need. This book will. I read it on a whim, and I feel so lucky that I did. It is full of information you NEED to know (and that most women don't). An aspect of this book that also makes it stand out from the rest is that the author doesn't ask you to trust her opinion -- she provides you with extensive references for the sources of her information. WONDERFUL! In the future, I am going to buy this for every pregnant friend.
Rating:
Summary: A must have for all pregnant women!
Review: This is the best book for pregnant women! It puts other books to shame. I burned my What To Expect books since they are full of misinformation. Henci Goer tells it like it is!
Rating: 
Summary: A little overbearing
Review: I read this while PG and I have to say now I realise a good part of it was true. HOWEVER, it really can make a person already nervous a little over paranoid of things that if you deliver in a hospital you won't have control over anyway. It was a good book and had good references of research. Kinda pushy on the unassisted side of delivering options.
Rating:
Summary: Superb
Review: This is a must read. Pregnant women in America are simply not informed of the risks (and degredations) of current obstetric practices: they are not informed of their options and their rights. American doctors intervene in 90% of pregnancies yet America ranks only 23rd among the nations of the world in good outcomes (both mother and baby healthy). Holland, in contrast, uses obstetricians only 30% of the time, in the cases when they are really needed and Holland ranks #1 among nations as the safest place to give birth. Read why. It's fascinating and ultimately empowering for women.
Rating:
Summary: Every pregnant woman should buy this book!
Review: This book is clearly very thoroughly researched. Many books with similar information are presented anecdotally, while Henci Goer backs up all information with medical research (cited in the index). Perfect for the skeptic! Pros and Cons are clearly listed with respect to each possible medical intervention. I wish I had had access to this information during my previous pregnancy.
Rating:
Summary: Important, non-patronizing information for birth
Review: After I read this book I wondered if birth in U.S. hospitals is really as badly mis-managed as Henci Goer says so I chcked some of her claims in the Medline database of medical journal literature. It turns out Goer has really done her research and according to the medical literatre (which Dr.s presumably should be reading) she is absolutely right. OBs in the U.S are trained to intervene in births when nothing is actually going wrong yet, and these needless interventions frequently cause unnessessary complications for mother and baby. The research indicates that a hands-off approach leads to the best outcomes as long as there is no clear need for medical intervention. This is a lesson the U.S. medical profesion is having a hard time learning. They are trained to do somethng not just wait, even when waiting would be more beneficial. If every pregnant woman had the information in this book instead of simply trusting doctors to do the right thing it would lead to drastic improvements in U.S. health care for labor and birth.
Rating:
Summary: Full of Important Information for Birthing Couples
Review: This is the best book I've ever seen in regards to condensing current research on childbirth into readable and understandable terms. The author gives clear and concise descriptions of various OB procedures and interventions that are easy to follow. She gives pros and cons of each [working within her own bias, which she does freely admit]. I think this would be an excellent book for any couple expecting an uncomplicated birth to read. This is information that every pregnant woman *should* have access to in order to make good decisions. However, there is definitely an anti-OB bias [which the author admits] and this isn't a book designed to make you feel all warm and fuzzy about a hospital birth. Be aware of that going into this - the author raises very important but possibly disturbing points for those planning a hospital birth with an Obstetrician in attendance. My only dissappointment with the book is that there was no chapter on assisted delivery [vacuum cap and forceps]. I would very much have liked to see a chapter on the pros and cons of these common procedures and their safety for mother and baby. There is only one page that has a small bit of information on this, but no extensive discussion or gathering of the research data available. It seems a glaring omission from an otherwise excellent and complete book.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointed
Review: While this book contains good information and cites many research studies (a significant portion of the book is devoted to documenting research), the author's tone seemed negative to me. Ms. Goer obviously has some hostile feelings towards the medical community, and as the book progressed, this became distracting to me. I much preferred "The Birth Book," by William and Martha Sears, which contains similar information and outlines the same pros/cons, but manages to be very positive.
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