Childbirth In The 19th Century

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The idea of childbirth has been viewed in three peculiar ways: as a passage to and early death, a social natural occurrence, and in present times a medical procedure needed when having children. For instance in the seventeenth century mothers were frightened of childbirth due to high maternal mortality rates. While in the 19th century childbirth became a celebration or social gathering overseen by a midwife. In the 20th century, however, the area and knowledge of medicine increased leading to the medicalization of pregnancy and childbirth. The ideas around childbirth developed based on the professionals, mortality rates, and cultures available at the time. According to Ulrich’s “Living Mother of a Living Child” maternal mortality rates were