In many different countries, there is certain cultural beliefs associated with birth and death. Examining Netherlands, Inuit and Vietnam, we can conclude they have a preference for home births rather than institutional births. However, in America we heavily rely on on the medicalization of biomedicine with everything, especially birth. In America, we options of childbirth such as at home births with midwives, c-sections at the hospital, and natural (no medicine and vaginal) birth at the hospital. While in other countries they perform traditional rituals and procedures for childbirth.
In the Article The Inuit Way (Pauktuutit Inuit Guide to Culture 2006) The Inuit believe that when a child born it is replacing a deceased family relative and taking over their soul. During childbirth, in traditional settings, women typically have older and experienced midwives that help them deliver the baby. However, in some cases a child is delivered in a hospital. After birth, the child is always in contact with the mother at all times in the mother’s parka. A baby’s birth is reason for celebration in the Inuit culture. The Inuit believe in breastfeeding and it’s considered a good thing to have children. If a household does not have children it is frowned upon on and considered to be cold.
The Netherlands preferred childbirth is at home where 60% women reported to have births at home (De Jonge A 2009). However, although women preferred to have births at home there was no difference between at home births and births that were at a hospital. The Netherlands has a really good health care system that focuses on the mother’s choice for where they would like to birth their child (Head of the Child Health Programme at the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research). This shows that the Netherlands is not as strict on childbearing policies as other countries. In addition, the Netherlands provides resources and services to pregnant mothers to ensure they get the attention they need.
In Vietnam, they have shifted towards a more medicalized childbirth process. Mothers who have access and resources go to a hospital give birth. However, for rural women they do not have the same access and resources so they tend to stick with at home births. For some rural mothers the medical institutions are far away from them and they often distrust doctors and their practices. Furthermore, midwives are still used in Vietnam but for most mothers they stick with at home births.
In the United States, as stated before we have heavily relied on biomedicine for everything. The shift in our healthcare started when the Fenner Report came out which caused our Authoritative Knowledge to switch to biomedicine. In modern society we mostly see mothers giving birth in hospitals where it is considered safe and clean. They have easy access to the obstetrician, medicine and medical equipment. However, it is not uncommon to see midwives and at home births in America. It’s usually not the go-to method but some mothers do prefer this than delivering at hospitals because they have more say so with their Authoritative Knowledge, child delivery, and can be surrounded by family.
In conclusion, we can see overall that other countries prefer their traditional rituals when it comes to childbirth rather than medicalization childbirths. Most countries are skeptical about the medical institutions and doctors. However, access and resources also play a big part in this. In the Netherlands, women have the resources to have an at home birth or medicalization birth while others like rural families in Vietnam don’t have the same resources or access.
In America today, most women have deliver their babies in a medicalization environment where they have access to doctors and medical tools. The doctors and the mother in labor is wearing gowns, the doctors and medical staff have on face masks, gloves, and hair net to protect them from any bacteria and bodily fluids. These small characteristics is something in modern society where American women find to be safe and sterile. Most American women want to know they are safe and there baby will be safe in an environment where their is knowledgeable and professional people. An environment where medical professionals can attend to their needs and come to the rescue where there are any problems. However, in this picture I don’t see any family members in the room with this women. In America, women typically have at least their mothers in the room with them when they are ready to deliver their child and this picture does not show that.
De Jonge, A, and B Van der Goes, et al. “New Figures from the Netherlands on the Safety of Home Births.” An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 15 Apr. 2009.
Pauktuutit Inuit Guide to Culture. 2006.
Hi Lauren!
It was very interesting to see how birth and death are different in many countries in cultures around the world. I found the maternal health pieces incredibly interesting. Your image is interesting in that no family members are present and it looks as though this person is delivering in a large lab room of a hospital instead of a more intimate setting with family. How strange this must look to someone who is culturally taught that children are born among family in the home! As someone who has never had a child, I wondered what the women I knew who had could image birth outside of the hospital. I was interested to hear my stepmom discuss how she would be afraid to have a baby at home no matter what since one of my stepsiblings required an emergency C-section. Thanks for your post!
Hello Lauren!
You mentioned that it is not uncommon to see midwives and at home births in America which is a new knowledge for me because I thought that it is something unusual here. Also, you stated in your post that in America, women typically have at least their mothers in the room with them when they are ready to deliver their child. Meanwhile, in Malaysia, these women usually have their husband in the labor room to give them moral support. It is definitely interesting to see how different places in the world has different kind of experiences when given a same situation. Also, the picture shows that the woman was surrounded by many nurses and physicians which is something uncommon in my country. Usually, there will be only two or three doctors and nurses attending the delivering woman except for when there is an unexpected circumstances happened during the delivery. Thank you for sharing!