Childbirth and pregnancy are concepts as old as time. For as long as humans existed women have been bearing children naturally and only recently has modern medicine become intertwined with the birthing process. This recent coming together of medicine and childbirth is called medicalization. The medicalization of childbirth was born in the 17th C, and by the 20th C the majority of births had become medicalize (Wilson, 1995). Today, many have questioned the medicalization of childbirth and whether or not it has done more harm or good to this once completely natural process. Two articles “Medicalization, Natural Childbirth and Birthing Experiences” by Sarah Brubaker and Heather Dillaway, and “Revisiting the Critique of Medicalized Childbirth” …show more content…
Similarly, in “Revisiting the Critique of Medicalized Childbirth”, Fox and Worts contest the feminist argument against medicalization of childbirth. The feminist critique of medicalization of childbirth center around who has control during birthing, where is the setting of the childbirth, and the use of medical technology as interventions during childbirth. In terms of control, feminists argue that medicalization of childbirth make women lose control over their own body and as a result, lose control of the birthing of their child. They also argue that women are the true medical experts, and it is their control over the process of labor that is worthy and thus seen as superior to the authority of medical experts. Therefore women must exude control over childbirth in terms of setting and no use of medical interventions. However, Fox and Worts research showed that despite the feminist critiques, many women are quite satisfied with their hospital deliveries and accept medical interventions during the birthing process. Likewise, Brubaker and Dillaway exemplified that women do not lose control over the birthing process through medicalization but rather by other processes to be discussed later. Both sets of authors attempt to reconcile these disparities between the feminist critique of the medicalization of the birthing process and the actual …show more content…
However, there is so much more to what medicalization gas done to the childbirth process. A con is that medicalization of childbirth this completely overlooks that there are patients who request for medical interventions prior to, or during childbirth. Conversely, a pro is that the feminist critique highlights a consequence of medicalization in that it removes women from the social event in which the mother is surrounded by friends, relatives, and continuous support. Fox and Worts show that women who avoid medical interventions actually rely on support from others in order to take on the additional responsibility of properly taking care of a child. When medical interventions take a play in a mother’s birthing experience it “offers support at arm’s length - to the body and nothing more - and withdraws abruptly following the delivery of a healthy baby.” In other words, medicalization can serve as a rude awakening to mother’s that the more long-term care and responsibility of caring for her child is left to the mother alone. It is this responsibility that leaves women depressed post delivery according to Fox and Worts. This need of a social support raises the paradox that for women to have control over the birthing process, no matter the setting or intervention used, autonomy does not rest on the presence of
Mary Zimmerman framed that women have not had ultimate control over their own bodies and health as a fundamental assumption underlying women’s health movement. Men control and dominate a huge portion of the of decision making roles in the healthcare field, such as health related research, health policy etc. Whereas women are more seen in social positions. According to the article “The Women’s Health Movement” by Mary K. Zimmerman, the concept of medicalization is the “increasing tendency to apply medical definitions and control to phenomena not previously thought of as medical problems (Zola, 1972; Conrad and Schneider, 1980). In the 1950’s a drug called Thalidomide was created by a German company, claiming that it was safe for pregnant women. Although many women were still using this drug during this time, in 1961, reports began to surface that this drug was causing several birth defects and other health problems. The author presented the Thalidomide case as an example of medicalization by showing us the potential consequences of a style medical
Internationally, issues revolving around the female body and reproduction are extremely controversial. For a woman, her body is a very private matter. At the same time, however, a woman's body and her reproduction rights are the center of attention in many public debates. Several questions regarding women's reproductive rights remain unanswered. How much control do women have over their bodies? What kind of rules can be morally imposed upon women? And who controls the bodies of women? Although the public continues to debate these topics, certain conclusions can been made concerning women and their reproductive rights. An undeniable fact is that government has a large degree of control over female reproductive organs. All around the world, time and time again, several national governments have implemented policies, enacted laws, and denied women control over their reproductive organs. Several governments have crossed the border between intimate and public matters concerning women's reproductive organs, by making laws about contraceptives, abortion, and family planning programs.
Holmes explained that he was really concerned with both theorizing social categories and their relationships with bodies and with the possibility that suffering might be alleviated in a more respectful, egalitarian, and effective manner. Additionally, he cites Kleinman’s writings on illness narratives and the explanatory models of patients as well as Farmer’s essays on pragmatic solidarity and structural violence. Kleinman’s work focuses on the ways in which patients somatize social realities and on the importance of clinicians listening to their patients understandings of illness. Farmer’s work basically explains the importance of structural determinants of sickness and calls for more equal distribution of biomedical resources. Moreover, chapter
Wertz, R., and Wertz D. Lying-In: A History of Childbirth in America. New York: Free Press. 1997
Susan E. Klepp is the author of Revolutionary Conceptions , a book that is about the life of women during the 18th Century. She describes how pregnancies took an important place in women’s life and how it affected them. The author defines every aspect that is disturbed by pregnancy in the life cycle of women. She does not focus on a special group of women; she included the rich and the poor, the slaves and the freeman and the rural and urban women. Overall, Susan Klepp argued that from the American Revolution, women gained power and authority in their life through the control of their pregnancies.
Women throughout time have been compelled to cope with the remonstrances of motherhood along with society’s anticipations
The debate concerning abortion still exists and is causing a lot of controversy. One of the biggest is an issue concerning mother’s who are experiencing health compilations during p...
Abortion is a controversial issue in the United States and internationally even when it is legalized. Though women in the United States are able to receive abortions nurses still have many concerns about the ethical issues surrounding abortion. One of the biggest ethical dilemmas is whether the nurse’s role as a caregiver extends to the fetus. This paper will explore the issues faced by nurses who believe they should care for the fetus. If the definition of a patient includes the fetus then providing abortions is contrary to the nurse’s role as caregiver; however, the mother is definitely a patient and must be cared for as well. It is the nurse’s responsibility to support the woman’s decision so that she may obtain an abortion safely. Nurses who put the life of the fetus first are allowed to refuse to participate in an abortion, but this may affect the way women receive nursing care.
As the title suggests, a “pushed” birth is one that is unnecessarily induced, and/or managed, with an abundance of unjustifiable intrusions. The title of the book describes the feelings of many American women who feel “pushed” into making drastic decisions – decisions that they may not be emotionally prepared for. Block expresses that the title of her book came long before she even wrote it (Block, 2007, page xiii). Through her many conversations with expectant mothers, she would often hear them express a desire for a non-interventional and natural birth. Unfortunately, many women “felt tremendous pressure from their medical providers to go against instinct and … to induce labor, to schedule a cesarean, to lie back during labor when every cell in their body felt like moving. Women are supposed to push their babies out; instead, they felt they were being pushed around” (Block, 2007, page xiii).
Giving birth is often looked upon as a miracle of life with remarkable experiences to come. However, others may think this miracle of life will be nothing but problems in their lives. Many females who are not ready for a baby seek abortion as the answer of their problems. Abortion is known to be one of the most debated issues in society. It is best defined as a “medical procedure used to end a pregnancy and cause the death of the fetus” (“Merriam-Webster 's Learner 's Dictionary”). Regardless, if a woman becomes unexpectedly pregnant and is not mentally or financially stable to take care of a baby, abortion is still not the answer. The procedures for abortion is unhealthy for the female, is murder of the fetus, and goes against the 14th Amendment.
Being a mother is a lifelong job that requires copious time, energy, and money. There are myriad different reasons in which a woman would consider getting an abortion. The decision is often tragic and painful for the mother. It is one of the biggest choices a woman will make. Many people have strong beliefs about abortion, and if a mother makes a decision that they do not agree with they sometimes turn against the mother, and enkindle egregious feelings about their decision for the rest of their life. Indeed a woman may not get an abortion for selfish reasons or out of convenience, but out of a desire to protect certain important values such as her own health or a decent standard of living for the other members of the family. Additional intentions for having abortion include rape, financial difficulties, obligation by family members, or danger to the baby’s health (Roleff
“All over the world there exists in every society a small group of women who feel themselves strongly attracted to give care to other women during pregnancy and childbirth. Failure to make use of this group of highly motivated people is regrettable and a sin against the principle of subsidiarity.”
[9] Shanley, M.L, Surrogate Mothering and Women's Freedom: A Critique of Contracts for Human Reproduction, (Politics and the Human Body) editors-Elshtain, J.B, and Cloyd J.T1995, Vanderbitt University Press, Tennessee back
Most people agree that abortion should be a rare procedure. To accomplish that ideal, our society must proactively, by providing resources and support, offer pregnant women the hope that carrying their babies to term is not the end of their plans and dreams. Then their difficult decisions would really be true choices vice acts of desperation. After all, it is just as much “pro-choice” for a woman to take charge of her life and courageously carr...
Ramona T. Mercer is the theorist credited for developing the theory of Maternal Role Attainment, which is also known as the theory of Becoming a Mother. “Maternal role attainment is an interactional and developmental process occurring over time in which a mother becomes attached to her infant, acquires competence in the caretaking tasks involved in the role, and expresses pleasure and gratification in the role (Tomey & Alligood, 2006, p. 608). Mercer’s career has been primarily focused in pediatrics, obstetrics, and maternal-child nursing. Mercer’s greatest accolades have been based on her extensive research on the topic of maternal role and development (Tomey & Alligood, 2006, p. 605).