A price must be paid for motherhood : the experience of maternity in Sheffield, 1879-1939
This study considers the reproductive experiences of women in Sheffield between 1870 and 1939, encompassing the development of concepts of maternal and infant welfare, and debates over birth control and abortion. It focuses on the impact of state and voluntary enterprise, on the development of health professions and hospitals, and on the position of mothers. The study shows that high infant mortality was caused primarily by poor sanitation. Unlike other areas, Sheffield had low rates of both maternal employment and bottle feeding, suggesting that these were not significant factors. The decline in infant mortality was due to a combination of factors; the removal of privy middens and slum areas, and the development of welfare clinics and health visiting services. High maternal mortality was prevalent mainly in areas of skilled working class employment; not middle class areas as in other cities. There was no inverse correlation between infant and maternal mortality in Sheffield. Maternal mortality was caused by high rates of sepsis following illegal abortion. The reduction in mortality was due to a cyclical decline in the virulence of the causative bacteria, and the application of sulphonamide drugs to control
McIntosh, Tania
Maternal mortality; Infant mortality
A price must be paid for motherhood : the experience of maternity in Sheffield, 1879-1939. This study considers the reproductive experiences of women in Sheffield between 1870 and 1939, encompassing the development of concepts of maternal and infant welfare, and debates over birth control and abortion. It focuses on the impact of state and voluntary enterprise, on the development of health professions and hospitals, and on the position of mothers. The study shows that high infant mortality was caused primarily by poor sanitation. Unlike other areas, Sheffield had low rates of both maternal employment and bottle feeding, suggesting that these were not significant factors. The decline in infant mortality was due to a combination of factors; the removal of privy middens and slum areas, and the development of welfare clinics and health visiting services. High maternal mortality was prevalent mainly in areas of skilled working class employment; not middle class areas as in other cities. There was no inverse correlation between infant and maternal mortality in Sheffield. Maternal mortality was caused by high rates of sepsis following illegal abortion. The reduction in mortality was due to a cyclical decline in the virulence of the causative bacteria, and the application of sulphonamide drugs to control
price must pay motherhood experience maternity sheffield study_considers reproductive experience woman sheffield encompass development concept maternal infant welfare debate birth control abortion focus impact state voluntary enterprise development health profession hospital position mother study_show high infant_mortality cause primarily poor sanitation unlike area sheffield low rate maternal employment feeding suggest significant_factor decline infant_mortality due combination_factor removal privy slum area development welfare health visiting service high maternal mortality prevalent mainly area skilled work_class employment middle_class area city correlation infant_maternal mortality sheffield maternal mortality cause high_rate follow illegal abortion reduction mortality due cyclical decline causative bacteria application drug control