title: Premature adoption and resolution of medical technology: illustrations from childbirth technology.
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.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Department of Public Health Policy and Administration, 1420 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, USA.
authors.forename: I H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Butter
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research; D020811:Biomedical Technology / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D035082:Federal Government; D005260:Female; D005323:Fetal Monitoring / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006300:Health Services Misuse; D006801:Humans; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D011247:Pregnancy; D037841:Pregnant People; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012051:Reimbursement Mechanisms; D012109:Research Support as Topic; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D014481:United States