Las culturas del nacimiento. Representaciones y prácticas de las mujeres gestantes, comadronas y médicos.

Identificador:  TDX:1492

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TDX1492

Autors:  Montes Muñoz, Mª Jesús

Resum:
Research on 'birth cultures' focusses on the different ways of signifying, interpreting, practising and experiencing birth by expectant mothers, midwives and obstetricians. This is a study set within the framework of Feminist Anthropology, gender being the analytical category used. At the centre of this research are pregnant women whom I consider the main actors both in terms of their biological involvement and in terms of their being the subject of professional care.<br/>The starting point is that although there is a socially hegemonic care of pregnancy and birth, not all women subscribe to the same definitions nor do they share the same experiences. The majority deploy activities of resistance of different degrees and in different spheres. For this study, I have adopted a qualitative research method. In-depth interviews and participant observation of a group of 16 women, five midwives and five obstetricians are the main techniques used. The context of the study has been the city and province of Tarragona, with some specific cases from Barcelona.<br/>The conclusion highlights that the great majority of women accept medical discourse and practice as being necessary for the prevention of possible risks, yet at the same time try to introduce - and do introduce - changes. However, on the whole, they feel that they depend on the experts. Some women have put forward complaints regarding the relationship with their doctors in the course of their pregnancy, stating that they were insufficiently informed or not listened to, and that their ailments were unimportant unless they related to the foetus. They have also complained of the lack of consideration shown for their personal knowledge or opinions, or because they felt treated like children.<br/>Regarding the birth, they are worried about the risks, but they trust the experts -many expect the experts to help release them from pain. Other women have made changes to the way they wish to be cared for during labour. In this study, there is a range from those who decided to have an elective Caesarean to those who asked for as little medical intervention as possible. This of course, was mainly in the context of private practice. A small group of women deconstruct the hegemonic discourses of risk and pain, so birthing loses its threatening aspect. These women planned to have a home birth.<br/>Finally, regarding maternity care, women are still the main carers of children during the two months that the study lasted, and this is strengthened by society's interest in breastfeeding. Their experiences of maternity have been very diverse and they experienced different degrees of satisfaction at different stages.