Medicalization Of Childbirth
Usually, medicalization could be defined as taking a natural process and turning them course into a medical process. An example of this is pregnancy; medicalization “involves interpreting pregnancy itself as a disruption to health that necessarily requires expert medical intervention,” (Mullin, 54). Commonly, women are taught pregnancy is considered to be high risk that needs attention from a medical professional. Back then, women would have birth at any given location and presently, a set plan has to be made of where and how the birth is going to take place.
Kukla and Wayne are concerned that the medicalization of childbirth is often seen to push women into a passive role and have the process be very stressful as well as burdening for the
women. “When misused, technology can subjugate women to medical authority, undercut their sense of dignity and control, and alienate them from the birth process” (Kukla and Wayne, 11). Kukla and Wayne mention that women can feel disconnected and put into a situation where if a medical professional is there, they might make the decisions rather than the women who are pregnant. Although Kukla and Wayne believe medicalization matters, they also believe it is the women’s choice on if she wants a natural birth or the medicalization of birth. There is an objection that people who advocate for natural birthing often don’t specify what natural birthing is. “There are reasons for philosophers to be as wary of the ‘natural’ birth movement as of uncritical” (Kukla et al.). Kukla and Wayne argue there is no evidence to explain that natural birthing is more ethical. Women should be in control when giving birth. If a woman is pressured from a doctor to have birth a certain way, it is not giving women a right to choose. Women should give birth the way they are most comfortable, a water birth for example. They can choose to have the birth at a hospital and use all resources if needed or be at home with a midwife. It is the women’s choice on how she wants to bring her child into the world, not the doctors. The medical professional should be able to respect the mother’s wishes and follow by her birthing plan rather than their plan.
Kukla and Wayne are concerned that the medicalization of childbirth is often seen to push women into a passive role and have the process be very stressful as well as burdening for the
women. “When misused, technology can subjugate women to medical authority, undercut their sense of dignity and control, and alienate them from the birth process” (Kukla and Wayne, 11). Kukla and Wayne mention that women can feel disconnected and put into a situation where if a medical professional is there, they might make the decisions rather than the women who are pregnant. Although Kukla and Wayne believe medicalization matters, they also believe it is the women’s choice on if she wants a natural birth or the medicalization of birth. There is an objection that people who advocate for natural birthing often don’t specify what natural birthing is. “There are reasons for philosophers to be as wary of the ‘natural’ birth movement as of uncritical” (Kukla et al.). Kukla and Wayne argue there is no evidence to explain that natural birthing is more ethical. Women should be in control when giving birth. If a woman is pressured from a doctor to have birth a certain way, it is not giving women a right to choose. Women should give birth the way they are most comfortable, a water birth for example. They can choose to have the birth at a hospital and use all resources if needed or be at home with a midwife. It is the women’s choice on how she wants to bring her child into the world, not the doctors. The medical professional should be able to respect the mother’s wishes and follow by her birthing plan rather than their plan.