Abstract
The first part of this article discusses four forces underlying the emergence, adoption, and routinization of medical technology: key societal values, policies of the federal government, reimbursement policies, and economic incentives. It also addresses a set of impacts resulting from increased reliance on medical technology. The second part of the paper assesses three examples of childbirth technology: electronic fetal monitor, obstetric ultrasound, and cesarean birth. The tendency toward premature and excessive use of technology is especially strong in the area of childbirth and technology.
MeSH terms
- Biomedical Research
- Biomedical Technology* / economics
- Biomedical Technology* / statistics & numerical data
- Biomedical Technology* / trends
- Cesarean Section / economics
- Cesarean Section / statistics & numerical data
- Cesarean Section / trends*
- Federal Government
- Female
- Fetal Monitoring / statistics & numerical data
- Fetal Monitoring / trends*
- Health Care Costs
- Health Services Accessibility
- Health Services Misuse
- Humans
- Personal Autonomy
- Pregnancy
- Pregnant Women
- Professional-Patient Relations
- Reimbursement Mechanisms
- Research Support as Topic
- Ultrasonography, Prenatal / statistics & numerical data
- Ultrasonography, Prenatal / trends*
- United States