I agree with Howard and Mummymoo.
I am also for the most natural method possible. And I have a healthy dose of skepticism for what Hong Kong doctors / pharmaceutical giants try to sell people.
But I am also against fearmongering in the other direction. Sometimes, modern medicine is needed.
I did a pre-natal class with a freelance midwife (mistake -- should have gone for one of the agencies) who was so against all drugs, and so rabidly against all doctors, that she scared the living daylights out of me and my husband. She said "When you go to the hospital, be ready to fight!" That's not the calmest encouragement.
I had planned a natural birth. But then I was in a pre-labor / early labor limbo from Wednesday morning to Friday morning. Finally, my very reasonable doctor -- who had followed my whole pregnancy -- discussed induction. He was not pushy like many HK doctors. But he cited a good list of factors -- fetal distress, maternal exhaustion meaning that I couldn't push well. Because induced labors are more painful, he recommended a "walking epidural", in which I would still have feeling and movement, but not so much pain. I went with it.
Thank god I did. Even with Picotin and suction, it still took an additional 7 hours for baby to come out. Later, my doctor told me my induction saved me from having an emergency C-section, which would have been WAY worse.
I had no negative side effects from the induction or epidural, despite what that midwife said. And despite the horror stories that midwife told, I healed quickly and easily from the episiotomy and suction. The next morning after my birth, I was up and about with my healthy baby.
Do read online, and do try for a natural route. But don't feel frightened or guilty about choosing medicine, too. It really can help in some cases.