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Lying-in : a history of childbirth in America / Richard W. Wertz and Dorothy C. Wertz.
- Format:
- Book
- Author/Creator:
- Wertz, Richard W.
- Language:
- English
- Subjects (All):
- Childbirth--United States--History.
- Childbirth.
- Maternal health services--United States--History.
- Maternal health services.
- Obstetrics--Social aspects--United States--History.
- Obstetrics.
- Obstetrics--United States--History.
- Delivery, Obstetric--history.
- Midwifery--history.
- Natural Childbirth--history.
- Obstetrics--history.
- Midwifery.
- Delivery, Obstetric.
- Natural Childbirth.
- Obstetric Surgical Procedures.
- Parturition.
- Specialties, Surgical.
- Specialties, Nursing.
- Pregnancy.
- Nursing.
- Medicine.
- Surgical Procedures, Operative.
- Reproduction.
- Health Occupations.
- Occupations.
- Reproductive Physiological Phenomena.
- Reproductive and Urinary Physiological Phenomena.
- United States.
- Medical Subjects:
- Delivery, Obstetric--history.
- Midwifery--history.
- Natural Childbirth--history.
- Obstetrics--history.
- Midwifery.
- Obstetrics.
- Delivery, Obstetric.
- Natural Childbirth.
- Obstetric Surgical Procedures.
- Parturition.
- Specialties, Surgical.
- Specialties, Nursing.
- Pregnancy.
- Nursing.
- Medicine.
- Surgical Procedures, Operative.
- Reproduction.
- Health Occupations.
- Occupations.
- Reproductive Physiological Phenomena.
- Reproductive and Urinary Physiological Phenomena.
- United States.
- Genre:
- History.
- Physical Description:
- 1 online resource (xviii, 322 p. ) ill. ;
- Edition:
- Expanded ed.
- Place of Publication:
- New Haven : Yale University Press, 1989.
- Language Note:
- English
- Summary:
- This lively history of childbirth begins with colonial days, when childbirth was a social event, and moves on to the gradual medicalization of childbirth in America as doctors forced midwives out of business and to the home birth movement of the 1980s. Widely praised when it was first published in 1977, the book has now been expanded to bring the story up to date. In a new chapter and epilogue, Richard and Dorothy Wertz discuss the recent focus on delivering perfect babies, with its emphasis on technology, prenatal testing, and Caesarean sections. They argue that there are many viable alternatives--including out of hospital births--in the search for the best birthing system.
- Contents:
- Midwives and social childbirth in colonial America
- The new midwifery
- Modesty and morality
- The wounds of birth: Birthpain and puerperal fever
- Birth in the hospital
- "Natural childbirth"
- Government involvement
- Creating the perfect child: The 1980s and beyond
- Epilogue: Everybody's search for the best.
- Notes:
- Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 304-314).
- ISBN:
- 0-300-17431-4
- 0-585-38822-9
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