Women struggling to take charge of the birth

A few things here. Years ago when studying this topic, I learned that midwives were much more common during the 1800’s and in the early 1900’s, male doctors rapidly ‘medicalized’ having children and pregnancy so they could be ‘in charge’ of this most natural phenomenon. Forceps, anesthesia and ether followed. Cesarean sections increased.
Do you think this is still the case? (Yes.)
http://mds.marshall.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1639&context=etd
I’d get to page 5 or 6 at least before I started reading.
http://www.open.edu/openlearn/body-mind/health/nursing/why-childbirth-medical-procedure more recent and in the UK
And then there is the COST http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/01/health/american-way-of-birth-costliest-in-the-world.html?pagewanted=all
This article is even five years old.
What can be done about it? What IS being done about it in your communities? Do you see women struggling to take charge of the birth of their own children?