But look at it in context: in 1921 in the US there were 68 maternal deaths for every 10,000 live births, and the average cost to give birth in a hospital was pr

But look at it in context: in 1921 in the US there were 68 maternal deaths for every 10,000 live births, and the average cost to give birth in a hospital was probably something like $50 or about $500 in today's dollars. In 2007 there were 12.7 maternal deaths per 10,000 and in 2009 the average out of pocket cost was about $1148. Major improvement in quality with marginal cost increase. (statistics cobbled together from http://www.enotes.com/1920-medicine-health-american-decades/health-women-children http://www.enotes.com/1920-medicine-health-american-decades/... http://mchb.hrsa.gov/chusa11/hstat/hsi/pages/208mm.html http://mchb.hrsa.gov/chusa11/hstat/hsi/pages/208mm.html http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/18/us-healthcare-pregnancy-cuttingcosts-idUSBRE88H0LW20120918 http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/18/us-healthcare-preg... http://info.med.yale.edu/library/news/exhibits/hospitals/turnofcentury.html http://info.med.yale.edu/library/news/exhibits/hospitals/tur...)