What’s really driving birth practices in India today? In this episode, we pull back the curtain on the Indian medical system—where convenience often takes priority over physiology, and where C-sections are rising not always because of necessity, but because they fit better into hospital schedules. We also explore how the ancient wisdom of our traditional dais—the original birth workers—is being ignored in the new midwifery models, and what that says about who gets to define "modern" care.

This is a conversation about over-medicalisation, missing voices, and the uncomfortable truths behind what we call “safe” birth today. If you're a parent-to-be, birthworker, or just someone who wants to understand the deeper layers of our system, this episode is for you.

About the Guest: Dr. Uplabdh Gopal is a medical doctor and health policy researcher at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF). His work spans healthcare systems, medical technologies, and regulatory reform, with a focus on innovation and equity. He has contributed to national and global dialogues on Universal Health Coverage, health resilience, and digital health.

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Donations (India) - https://birthagni.com/birthagnipodcast#podcast-list
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Ultrasounds have become a routine part of modern pregnancy care — but how much do we really know about their origins, benefits, risks, and accuracy? We’ve all been told that ultrasounds are just a normal part of pregnancy — a way to “see the baby” and make sure everything’s okay. But have you ever wondered where this practice actually came from, what it’s truly meant for, and whether it’s always as harmless as it seems?

This episode is for every parent who wants to understand what’s being done and why — and for birth workers who want to support families with facts, not just protocols.

It’s not anti-ultrasound. It’s about asking better questions — because you deserve to know more than just “it’s routine.”

Backed by science yet rarely discussed with expecting parents, this conversation dives into:

• Where and why ultrasounds began in maternity care
• How did they become routine?
• The concerns around repeated scans
• How accurate are growth scans and due date predictions, really?
• How can you as a parent/mother/couple approach ultrasounds?

Tune in now!

Support the show

Sign up for Childbirth Preparation Programs! visit www.birthagni.com/birthclasses

This episode is supported and made possible by podcast recording and hosting tool Zencastr, it is impeccably made!

Use my link : https://zen.ai/vxmuJUgYKKGTF3JuTuFQ0g to sign up and record flawless remote podcast , USE my code : BIRTHAGNI

Support the show:

Donations (India) - https://birthagni.com/birthagnipodcast#podcast-list
Donations (world) - buymeacoffee.com/birthagni

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  • a rating on Spotify app and answer the question at each episode!
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Shilpi was guided into a home birth through various channels — one of them being how the medical system was too keen to label hers as a geriatric pregnancy and potentially schedule her into a surgery.

Often, women over 35 are labelled as geriatric — meaning care for old people in the medical system. This brackets them into care meant for the elderly, including the approach of looking at everything through a high-risk lens. This often complicates pregnancy more than it is complicated in itself.

Shilpi's raw story takes us through her thoughts, preparation, as well as doubts and questions leading up to the birth. Her partner's support and preparation in birth, and more.

This is also a story of learning to take self-responsibility in birth — no matter where you birth — in a hospital, a birth center, or at home. Nobody but you decides how you want to be taken care of and when you wish the care to change. It is a very personal space, and there is a big role of intuition in life and birth itself.

Tune in to the story now.

About the Guest:

Part of my childhood was spent in the gorgeous valley of Dehradun, and then by the sea in Mumbai. I grew up in Mumbai and started my career there as a copywriter, but soon realised that documenting life visually attracted me the most. I learnt the art of visual narratives by assisting some internationally renowned American and European photojournalists based in Mumbai. It was while working as an editorial photographer with lifestyle magazines and newspapers that I felt a strong urge to explore the world of wedding photography. And it has been mesmerizing!

Support the show

Sign up for Childbirth Preparation Programs! visit www.birthagni.com/birthclasses

This episode is supported and made possible by podcast recording and hosting tool Zencastr, it is impeccably made!

Use my link : https://zen.ai/vxmuJUgYKKGTF3JuTuFQ0g to sign up and record flawless remote podcast , USE my code : BIRTHAGNI

Support the show:

Donations (India) - https://birthagni.com/birthagnipodcast#podcast-list
Donations (world) - buymeacoffee.com/birthagni

• If you like what you hear, leave us
  • a rating on Spotify app and answer the question at each episode!
  • a review on Apple podcasts.
• Share on Whatsapp/Insta/FB
• Share on Instagram and tag us @divyakapoorvox
• Support the production by making a donation at ...