The voluntary maternity hospital : a social history of provincial institutions with special reference to maternal mortality, 1860-1930
From an historical perspective, the maternity hospital has borne criticism in two major respects. Firstly it has been argued that the voluntary maternity hospital played a negligible, even harmful role in delivering women in childbirth and therefore cannot be regarded as having a positive influence on maternal mortality. Secondly, but not unrelated, is the widely held assumption that the maternity hospital was little more than an instrument of male medicalisation responsible for subordinating midwives and their patients to medical authority. Drawing evidence from hospital records (Board minutes, registers and annual reports) relating to Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Birmingham and Newcastle, the thesis challenges both points of view. Using Manchester as a principal case study, it has been found that the city's two maternity hospitals, conducting both ward and home confinements, played a far more demographically significant role than previous estimates have allowed. By adopting those factors considered crucial determinants of low maternal mortality, 'free', 'accessible' care of 'a high standard', administered by a 'careful midwife' and a 'skilled doctor', the hospital's potential to influence local maternal
Stephenson, Craig David
DA Great Britain ; RG Gynecology and obstetrics
The voluntary maternity hospital : a social history of provincial institutions with special reference to maternal mortality, 1860-1930. From an historical perspective, the maternity hospital has borne criticism in two major respects. Firstly it has been argued that the voluntary maternity hospital played a negligible, even harmful role in delivering women in childbirth and therefore cannot be regarded as having a positive influence on maternal mortality. Secondly, but not unrelated, is the widely held assumption that the maternity hospital was little more than an instrument of male medicalisation responsible for subordinating midwives and their patients to medical authority. Drawing evidence from hospital records (Board minutes, registers and annual reports) relating to Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Birmingham and Newcastle, the thesis challenges both points of view. Using Manchester as a principal case study, it has been found that the city's two maternity hospitals, conducting both ward and home confinements, played a far more demographically significant role than previous estimates have allowed. By adopting those factors considered crucial determinants of low maternal mortality, 'free', 'accessible' care of 'a high standard', administered by a 'careful midwife' and a 'skilled doctor', the hospital's potential to influence local maternal
voluntary maternity hospital social_history provincial institution special_reference maternal mortality historical_perspective maternity hospital borne criticism two_major respect firstly_argue voluntary maternity hospital play even harmful role deliver woman childbirth therefore regard positive influence maternal mortality secondly unrelated widely_hold assumption maternity hospital little instrument male responsible subordinate patient medical authority drawing evidence hospital record board minute register annual report relate manchester liverpool sheffield birmingham newcastle challenge point_view using manchester principal case_study find city maternity hospital conduct ward home confinement play far significant_role previous estimate allow adopt factor consider crucial determinant low maternal mortality free accessible care high standard administer careful skilled doctor hospital potential influence_local maternal