Yep, women body is able to give birth.

I agree, mortality was most likely higher because when complications happen, modern intervention is much better, cleaner, we know about bacteria and other stuff exists and stuff like that.. but that's only like 10% of the cases(anecdote).

About your wife: if you take a woman in labour from home to an unknown place where strangers stare at her vagina and put stuff in guess what happens? Labour stops. Now you need artificial stuff to make it happen regardless - drugs, breaking sac, more drugs, suction cup, whatnot...

My problem is that we butcher the 90% of cases where there is no need for any intervention to the process.