Absolutely and I think feeling in control is so massively important. That's why it's imperative to be able to have these discussions.
I do think unfortunately sometimes the language used around birth, particularly for first timers can create fear - whether it's fear from people saying oh, you know, childbirth is awfully risky and dangerous and extremely painful - or whether it's fear of intervention, fear of surgery, demonisation of anything other than a "natural birth". Ironically the latter type of fear is usually induced by people attempting to squash the first type of fear! Like anything it can swing too far the other way.
I'd love to see a narrative about birth which puts women and informed choice at the centre. Not a narrative where intervention is always needed because birth is too risky, not a narrative where intervention is always bad because women must do it themselves, but one where intervention, monitoring, and pain relief methods (medical and physical and psychological) are all considered neutral tools each with their own indications, risks, benefits, etc and which all contribute towards the goal which really ought to be the same for everyone - a healthy, safe baby and a healthy, safe mother - and recognition that for the mother, healthy and safe means avoiding unnecessary trauma and anxiety, which usually means ensuring that she remains feeling informed and in control of what is happening.
Obviously there is a hierarchy of urgency, and I wouldn't expect medical staff to wait around to explain and reassure in a life or health threatening emergency - but the vast majority of interactions between labouring women and medical staff are not life threatening emergencies and it does not take much time or effort to explain what you want to do for her and why. In the event that intervention must be undertaken without her consent and/or understanding, an explanation/debrief should be offered as soon as appropriate and understanding given that this kind of experience is traumatic.
Usually, monitoring is happening for a reason and staff can explain to you what they are looking for and what it would mean if they found it, and you should in that case have the chance to decline. Intervention these days is usually done when it is fairly likely that outcomes would be poor without the intervention, but again, it is not usually the case that time is so short that the intervention and what they hope to prevent can't be explained.
Have you considered hiring a doula? They can act as a sort of mediator between you and medical staff so that you don't feel all of the monitoring, examinations etc are foisted upon you. I do think sometimes medical staff get into such a pattern and find what they are doing so routine that they forget to stop and ask, and it makes such a difference. Likely of course you'd agree to examinations, monitoring etc particularly when it's the case of checking things are going okay, but it's just being consulted which keeps you in the picture.