The landscape of childbirth is undergoing a quiet but significant transformation, increasingly shaped by economic forces and a shifting approach to healthcare. A new book by French geographer Clélia Gasquet-Blanchard, titled “Faire naître – Ce que le capitalisme fait à la maternité” (roughly translated as “Giving Birth – What Capitalism Does to Maternity”), set for release in 2026, examines these changes, arguing that the increasing medicalization of birth and the restructuring of hospitals are contributing to a decline in public maternity services and a growing commodification of the birthing experience. This analysis comes at a critical time, as evidenced by the recent closure of the Lilas maternity hospital near Paris in October 2025, a symbolic event highlighting the broader crisis facing French maternity wards.
Gasquet-Blanchard, a Maîtresse de Conférences (Associate Professor) in Geography at the École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique (EHESP) and a researcher at the UMR ESO – Espaces et Sociétés (CNRS 6590) laboratory at the University of Rennes 2, has dedicated years to studying the social and geographical aspects of healthcare, including the experiences of pregnant women and healthcare professionals. Her previous work, including her 2010 doctoral thesis on the geography of Ebola hemorrhagic fever in Gabon and the Republic of the Congo, demonstrates a commitment to understanding the intersection of health, geography, and social inequalities. She also currently directs the SOLIPAM network, a regional health network in Paris supporting highly vulnerable pregnant women.
The Erosion of Public Maternity Care
The core argument of “Faire naître” centers on the idea that the increasing influence of neoliberal policies within the French healthcare system is fundamentally altering the experience of childbirth. Gasquet-Blanchard contends that the emphasis on efficiency and cost-cutting measures within hospitals has led to a reduction in resources allocated to maternity services, ultimately impacting the quality of care available to mothers and newborns. This isn’t simply a matter of budgetary constraints, but a systemic shift that prioritizes profit over patient well-being. The book suggests that this trend is not merely a consequence of a failing public hospital system, but is actively facilitated by the very medicalization of birth itself.
The closure of the Lilas maternity hospital, known for its commitment to a more respectful and woman-centered approach to childbirth, serves as a stark example of this trend. As reported by Enflammé.e.s, the hospital’s closure followed years of uncertainty and struggle, symbolizing a wider crisis affecting maternity wards across France. The hospital was an emblematic establishment in Seine-Saint-Denis and a pioneer in respectful childbirth practices. This closure underscores the vulnerability of maternity services in regions facing economic hardship and limited resources.
Medicalization and the Loss of Traditional Knowledge
Gasquet-Blanchard’s research highlights the increasing medical control over the birthing process. She argues that the over-reliance on medical interventions, while sometimes necessary, can inadvertently disempower women and diminish the role of traditional knowledge and support networks. This medicalization, according to her work, has created a system where birth is often treated as a medical event rather than a natural process, leading to increased interventions and a sense of alienation for many mothers. The EHESP abstract of her book notes that this emprise (grip) of the medical profession is not a foregone conclusion, nor simply a result of the decline of public hospitals.
This shift has implications for the social dynamics surrounding childbirth. The book explores how the loss of shared knowledge and solidarity among women has contributed to a sense of isolation for expectant mothers. Gasquet-Blanchard’s research, drawing on interviews with healthcare professionals and women who have recently given birth, reveals a growing disconnect between the medical establishment and the lived experiences of those navigating pregnancy and childbirth. Her work from 2012-2014 on the DISPARITES research program, which focused on premature births in four French cities, and the subsequent PARSAN project in Montreal, further informed her understanding of these complex trajectories.
Inequalities in Access to Care
A central theme in Gasquet-Blanchard’s work is the exacerbation of social and racial inequalities in access to quality maternity care. Her research demonstrates that women from marginalized communities are disproportionately affected by the decline in public maternity services and the increasing commodification of childbirth. These women often face barriers to accessing adequate prenatal care, experience higher rates of complications during pregnancy and childbirth, and are more likely to feel unsupported and unheard by healthcare providers. Her coordination of the SOLIPAM network, which supports pregnant women in precarious situations in the Île-de-France region, provides firsthand insight into these challenges.
The book argues that the current system perpetuates a cycle of disadvantage, where women from vulnerable backgrounds are denied the same level of care and support as their more privileged counterparts. This is not simply a matter of individual circumstances, but a systemic issue rooted in broader social and economic inequalities. Gasquet-Blanchard’s work emphasizes the need for policies and interventions that address these underlying inequalities and ensure that all women have access to safe, respectful, and equitable maternity care.
The Political Dimension of Birth
Gasquet-Blanchard frames childbirth as inherently political, arguing that the decisions made about maternity care reflect broader power dynamics and ideological choices. She calls for a re-evaluation of the current system, advocating for a more holistic and woman-centered approach to childbirth that prioritizes autonomy, shared knowledge, and reproductive justice. This requires not only changes within hospitals and healthcare institutions, but also a broader societal shift in attitudes towards pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood.
The author suggests that reclaiming birth as a space for empowerment and solidarity requires political action both within and outside of hospital walls. This includes advocating for increased funding for public maternity services, promoting the rights of pregnant women and healthcare professionals, and challenging the dominant medical model of childbirth. Gasquet-Blanchard’s work calls for a fundamental rethinking of how we approach birth, recognizing it not simply as a medical event, but as a deeply personal and social experience with profound implications for individuals, families, and society as a whole.
As France, and indeed many nations, grapple with the challenges facing maternity care, Gasquet-Blanchard’s research offers a timely and critical perspective. “Faire naître – Ce que le capitalisme fait à la maternité” promises to be a significant contribution to the ongoing debate about the future of childbirth and the need for a more just and equitable healthcare system. The book is scheduled for release by Éditions La Fabrique in 2026.
The next step in understanding the impact of this work will be to observe its reception within the French healthcare community and among policymakers. Further analysis of the book’s arguments and recommendations will be crucial in shaping future debates about maternity care and reproductive rights. We encourage readers to share their thoughts and experiences on this important topic in the comments below.
Worth a look