You could have the same plot points without showing the beheadings or the geldings or the removal of tongues or the battles. But no one is bitching about those graphic details or the other multiple painful bloody and ultimately fatal scenes of a child losing an eye or getting eaten by a dragon or being forced to battle other children in a fighting pit. A lot of the same folks fretting over bloody birth scenes are also complaining about not enough battles. And acknowledging this story revolves around two women and these births are a central element is not a “kink”. Viserys doesn’t name Rhaenerya his heir or spend the rest of his life consumed with guilt or marry Alicent if Aemma doesn’t die in childbirth. Rhaenerya doesn’t have the realm against her or have her legitimacy as Queen questioned and threatened without the birth of her first three sons. Daemon isn’t free to marry Rhaenerya if Laena doesn’t die in childbirth. Rhaenerya doesn’t hit rock bottom without losing her daughter in childbirth. There have been SIXTEEN pregnancies in this season (Aemma - 1, Alicent - 4, Laena - 3, Rhaenerya - 6, Helaena - 2) and we have seen four. No one loves these scenes but they are important.