The two leading causes of death in childbirth are hemorrhage and infection.
Those two are perilous and particularly when modern medicine was not
available.
Prior to modern  medical developments, childbirth was the leading cause of
death for women.
The other two major causes of death are Toxemia.....(the condition results in
high blood pressure, poor kidney function and seizures) and anesthesia........
Toxemia, I have a feeling is related to diet.....and anesthesia is a modern
development that is easily avoided for normal vaginal delivery.
Yes childbirth is a normal event in women's lives, but it always has been and
will be an event with huge potential for complications.
 just my 2 cents
Dorothy