We can go as far back to the 19th and 20th century when women were not as privileged to have all the medical and technological advances that we have today, in order to avoid complications during and after child birth. During this research for this journal I have to admit that I was shocked to learn about all the risks women endured back in the days in order to have a child. Lets begin by mentioning that many women suffered for what is known “child bed fever” this consisted of women suddenly getting uncontrollable high fevers after giving birth and possibly dying due to the lack of antibiotics. Other infections such as the uterine infection which could easily spread through the entire body, and the incomplete expulsion of the placenta were all risks that women were more susceptible of encountering if they had a baby. Lets also remember vaginal trauma, tears and episiotomy the surgical cut in the muscular area between the vagina and the anus to enlarge the opening was a frequent procedure back in the day. Prolapse(Organs begin to fall out of place) and fistulas (a hole that develops in the tissue separating the rectum from the vagina, or, more commonly, the bladder from the vagina), were also common issues women faced when having a baby. And than we have C-sections, which are popular now a days but were very scary in the past because they were usually done on dead mothers not to save the mom but as a last resort to save the baby. With the advance in medicine more interesting facts and knowledge have arise in order to save the mother and the child when a C-section is done. Doctors understand the importance of sterilization antibiotics and the most important procedure which is to stitch up the uterus after the the C-section something that doctors did not know back in the days. The women who suffered the most of post-partum trauma were physically and emotionally were slaves, the working poor, and the illiterate; in other words, the backbones of society. The history of what women went through in the past has been ignored in the 21st century, now a days women do not embrace their scared bodies or their imperfect bodies after having a child because many are too worried about what other women are doing in order to get rid of the baby bump or baby weight. Nor realizing that giving birth is a lot more than following celebrities on social media or trying to fit back in name brand clothes.
Oct 162016