We See the Women: An Introduction / Helen M. Sterk -- 1. Childbirth in America: A Historical Perspective / Carla H. Hay -- 2. Bearing Witness to Birth: A Literary Perspective / Krista Ratcliffe -- 3. Communication, Care, and Control: A Communication Perspective / Helen M. Sterk -- 4. Birthing on the Reservation: An Anthropological Perspective / Alice Beck Kehoe -- 5. Control versus Reciprocity: A Nurse/Midwife Perspective / Leona VandeVusse -- Partners or Patients? A Conclusion / Helen M. Sterk