Part 1:

Childbirth is one of the important events that occurs daily throughout the world and considered a rite of passage for some women. Before reading this week’s articles and watching the videos I had some knowledge of the different beliefs countries had on the process. The experience of childbirth differs depending on cultures, ethnicities, and sometimes development of the country. As I learned from the lectures, in the US birth, eating, and death has become medicalized.In the past, most health care was delivered in homes. Being a doctor and having a profession in medicine was formally established and did not require specific education. During this time, those who were viewed as doctors only did cupping, autopsies bloodletting, and bone-setting. When it came to being a midwife, the tasks were taught through on-the-job training. Midwives were the primary birth attendants and consultants for healing herbs. Back then there wasn’t really any competition because midwives and “doctors” stayed in their lane and sort of just co-existed. At the beginning of the 1900s, the field of medicine started to create boundaries and became more professional. The debate about the fundamental way to define health and disease, and the way to understand the human body became a disagree among allopaths, homeopaths, naturopath, and osteopaths. Allopaths treat symptoms and diseases using drugs, radiation, or surgery. Homeopaths treat conditions with medical treatments as well as manipulation and massage of muscles, bones, and joints. Naturopaths uses natural remedies to help the body heal itself. Osteopaths improve people’s overall health and wellness using stretching, massaging, and moving the musculoskeletal system. Unfortunately, the Flexner Report led to the closing of many medical schools and especially those who educated women and black physicians. 

Comparing the birthing process in the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, and Vietnam, it is seen the differences reflect different cultural ideas about women, mothers, and families. In the United States, home-birth midwives complain that when they need to transfer a woman to hospital care, they are treated badly, which means they can’t always communicate the important information to hospital staff. On the other hand, in Canada,, home-birth midwives, who are trained at universities and paid by the government, are also allowed to work inside hospitals. So if they need to transfer a patient, they are already a part of the hospital team, and they are able to communicate well with the doctors. The Netherlands also fully supports homebirth midwives and considers home-birth the first choice for low-risk women, and there, about 1/3 of women give birth at home. The countries with the best outcomes have low risk mothers attended by midwives, not obstetricians, and the high-risk mothers are able to get the high-tech care that they need.  However, in the Netherland “ maternity services in the Netherlands are set up to meet the demand for home births, transport is good, and distances short if emergency transfer to hospital is needed. The same advantages are not available in all places in the UK, so the safety of home birth has to be considered in the context of the availability of local services( de Jonge et al 2009). ” The treatment and credentials of midwives and home births are noticeable different.

The roles of the family and community is also very important to note. Among the Inuit, the rituals that a father does while the mother is in labor are important for the spiritual and physical health of the mother and child. Also, when an Inuit baby is born, the elders of the community are supposed to shake its hand to welcome it into the group. And then it takes the elders a few days to realize who has been reincarnated among them, and what the name of the baby should be. This reincarnation and naming ceremony is considered the time when the baby becomes fully human. In Vietnam, burying the placenta was a crucial ritual for the afterlife of the baby. Birth has often been an important rite of passage for mothers that can change how they think about themselves and how others think of them. 

Analyzing the lectures, reading, and film the theoretical perspectives are somewhat clear. De Jonge A., et al. uses the epidemiological theory because they use data and statistics to show how the population of women in the Netherlands are divided between home births and hospital births.

The filmmakers Nick Ahlmark and Nicole Precel uses the feminist theory because the video shows how the mothers have the choice go to the medical center or have a risky home birth.  Betty-Anne Daviss uses the critical medical anthropology theory because she explains who benefits and who suffers, she mentions how the authority and the political, economic, and social power is leading to a worse outcome for the Inuit people. Merilynne Rush uses the Interpretive theory in her video because it challenges us to ask about the meaning of death and its impact our health and feelings about the experience.

Part II

I have chosen this picture because it relates to a common belief of most people, but also is a contradiction within itself. Growing up, I was always told if you can not support and provide for yourself then you should not make yourself responsible for another life. This relates to many things such as a pet, plant, life partner, but more importantly an infant. I’m pretty sure most people can agree with this. I specifically chose this picture because of the recent political climate and its involvement with planned parenthood. I would see ignorant posts about being pro-life and how women should have to stick with mistakes they have made, but I want those people to pay close attention to this image and analyze it. In my opinion, this image communicates why most women utilize planned parenthood and its services such as abortions, pregnancy testing & services, birth control, etc. I personally believe if a woman feels like she does not want to be pregnant and/or can not support a child, then she should have a right to abort the pregnancy. I’m going to get a little political, but I don’t understand how trump supporters are for abolishing abortions, but perfectly okay with children and BABIES living in orphanages and concentration camps. This image challenges the idea of women having the right to say if they choose to be pregnant, in regards to their circumstances.