Evidence Based Birth

Rebecca Dekker holds a PhD in nursing and brings serious academic credentials to a space that sometimes lacks them. Evidence Based Birth is exactly what it sounds like: a podcast that digs into the research literature on pregnancy, labor, and postpartum care, then translates it into language that regular people can actually use. With 413 episodes, she's covered an enormous range of topics. Want to know what the evidence actually says about eating during labor? There's an episode for that. Curious about the real risks and benefits of epidurals versus unmedicated birth? She's broken it down with citations. She also tackles subjects that don't get enough attention, like the impact of continuous fetal monitoring on birth outcomes, racial disparities in maternal care, and the evidence around birth center versus hospital birth. The show carries a 4.3 star rating from over 1,000 reviews. The format varies -- some episodes are solo deep-dives where Rebecca walks through a stack of studies, others feature interviews with researchers, doulas, midwives, or parents sharing their experiences. Her tone is measured and professional without being dry. She's clearly passionate about helping families make informed decisions, and she's careful to present the evidence without telling people what to choose. For anyone planning an unmedicated birth, this podcast provides the kind of factual grounding that helps you have productive conversations with your care provider.