Theory and Practice of Midwifery (1808)
This book tells the story of male physicians taking over the field of midwifery, which was traditionally seen as a female practice. Since women were not allowed to pursue medical schooling, male physicians viewed them as unqualified and thought that they should be the ones to deliver children instead of traditional female midwives. This attitude and bias is reflected in many places in The Compendium of the Theory and Practice of Midwifery but most especially in the introduction. When describing his reason for writing the book, Bard states that, “having frequently in the course of my practice… [I] had occasion to observe how much our midwives stand in need of instruction, and how incapable most of them are… from deficiency of education” (i). He makes his male bias very clear. It is almost as if he is saying that although women may have these lived experiences, I, as a man, understand your situation better through my medical studies.
Throughout the book he sees pregnant women as medical cases instead of human beings going through the most vulnerable times in their lives. He finds an interest in midwifery not because he wishes to help women, but because he finds the birthing process interesting. Prior to the shift to physicians delivering babies, women would have a whole community at their side along with a midwife. Women would give birth however they felt most comfortable; very few were on their back. However the switch to male physicians was a very uncompassionate one. The men prioritized what was easiest for them instead of for the birthing mother. Women gave birth laying down because it was more “modest.” Doctors would speed up the process with medical equipment such as forceps because they had “other things to do.” They would limit the number of visitors because they got in the way. Everything was done for their convenience instead of that of the birthing mother (Scholten). It was found that in the mid 19th century 0.05% of birthing mothers would die during or after child birth when with a midwife, but when with a male doctor the death rate was 10 to 20 times greater (Markel).
This book is an important testimony of why we need women in healthcare today. There is so much of women’s healthcare that is lagging behind because the only test subjects are men. It’s reported that 70% of chronic pain cases are women, but 80% of conducted studies are tested on men (Harvard Health). Women with chronic pain are often overlooked and told they are being “dramatic” or that it is just their anxiety causing the pain, while men are thought of as brave and undermining their suffering according to a 2018 study (Samulowitz). We need more compassionate women attending to their female patients during their births instead of male doctors that will treat to their convenience.
