Guests at the Birth, Part II

Yesterday I compared the NYTimes' article on large groups of friends and relatives attending women's births with the Wall Street Journal on doulas.

Today I want to call your attention to one particular area of the same article. It discusses the "financial rewards" for hospitals that are more inclusive.

Childbirth, the most consistently happy event to take place within their walls, can be an alluring marketing tool, especially when an audience is involved. "The more family-friendly a hospital can be during labor and delivery, the more comfortable a family will be coming there for an angioplasty," Dr. Ross said.

I had never thought of birth as a recruiting tool for hospitals' other services. At least they don't give you a take-home bag of trinkets advertising other hospital specialties (say, a box of bran cereal that says, "When it's time for that colonoscopy, remember us!").

Still, this is good reminder to look beyond any altruistic, warm and fuzzy hospital actions to the financial motivation. It is always there.