Giving birth at the hospital has become so normal in our lives that we can’t see any other alternative when thinking about childbirth. Due to the medicalization of childbirth, risks and fears of health complications can be addressed. However, it has led to women not truly being in control of their labor and delivery experience. Although medical practice comes in handy when there is an emergency, the medicalization of childbirth has created a social reality that simply state that women aren’t in control of their own labor and delivery. The outcomes of the medicalization of childbirth have good influences on the health of the baby but, negative effect on the women’s agency power and empowerment. It’s important to understand the process of medicalization
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However, it comes in encounter with the structure and agency concept. Pregnant women receive information and recommendations for reducing risks through structure, however, they are interpreting the information they receive and making their own decisions, exercising their power of agency (Burton-Jeangros 2011). Yet, social context influences daily life decisions and therefore, agency is constrained. Women often express the limitation that the medicalization of childbirth creates on them. Their social network leads to social pressure of doing the correct things to avoid the risks, which is a good thing because it is for the benefit of the infant and the mother’s health if the risk is bad habits such as smoking. In that case, surveillance through the medicalization of childbirth is a good thing because it prevents and control bad habits from affecting the baby. But it is also a bad thing because it limits the choices and activities pregnant women can do. This relates to Zimmerman’s article on breast implant because both discusses how social factors influences women’s decision, even when it is against her true wishes (Zimmerman 2008). Similar to a woman who is encouraged to get breast implant, pregnant women are encouraged and ordered to not smoke or drink and they …show more content…
Therefore by comparing countries’ organization and trends, it helps show how medicalization of childbirth is perceived and implemented. A study was conducted to test the medicalization hypothesis in the fear of pregnant women in both Belgium and the Netherlands. Both societies are very similar, however, they have very different regard to maternity care organization. The Belgian society used the medical model more widely and home births are rare. While the Dutch society has more home births and lower medical interventions (Christianes 2011). In their study, 5 hospitals and 27 midwifery practices invited pregnant women to participate by filling out a questionnaire (Christianes 2011). In order to account for both hospital and home births, all women were asked either by their obstetrician or midwife during their antenatal
However, it comes in encounter with the structure and agency concept. Pregnant women receive information and recommendations for reducing risks through structure, however, they are interpreting the information they receive and making their own decisions, exercising their power of agency (Burton-Jeangros 2011). Yet, social context influences daily life decisions and therefore, agency is constrained. Women often express the limitation that the medicalization of childbirth creates on them. Their social network leads to social pressure of doing the correct things to avoid the risks, which is a good thing because it is for the benefit of the infant and the mother’s health if the risk is bad habits such as smoking. In that case, surveillance through the medicalization of childbirth is a good thing because it prevents and control bad habits from affecting the baby. But it is also a bad thing because it limits the choices and activities pregnant women can do. This relates to Zimmerman’s article on breast implant because both discusses how social factors influences women’s decision, even when it is against her true wishes (Zimmerman 2008). Similar to a woman who is encouraged to get breast implant, pregnant women are encouraged and ordered to not smoke or drink and they …show more content…
Therefore by comparing countries’ organization and trends, it helps show how medicalization of childbirth is perceived and implemented. A study was conducted to test the medicalization hypothesis in the fear of pregnant women in both Belgium and the Netherlands. Both societies are very similar, however, they have very different regard to maternity care organization. The Belgian society used the medical model more widely and home births are rare. While the Dutch society has more home births and lower medical interventions (Christianes 2011). In their study, 5 hospitals and 27 midwifery practices invited pregnant women to participate by filling out a questionnaire (Christianes 2011). In order to account for both hospital and home births, all women were asked either by their obstetrician or midwife during their antenatal