Female Breeding Factories: How the Modern Medical...

Female Breeding Factories: Female Breeding Factories: How the Modern Medical Maternity Machine How the Modern Medical Maternity Machine

Constrains Women's Health in AmericaConstrains Women's Health in America

Nursing 6903 Anthropology and Women’s HealthA Cultural Anthropology Project and Presentation

Consuela Witherspoon

ForegroundForegroundForegroundForeground

W h ll h d f 3MWe have all heard of 3M:Now consider 4M . . . .

M d Modern Medical Maternity 4M Maternity Machine

Anthropological outcome

4Mp g

perspectives

ObjectivesObjectivesObjectivesObjectives1. To describe the view of American women as breeding

factories from the context of current anthropological theories and research findings.

2 T i th t ti l i t th t i i g 2. To summarize the potential impact that viewing American women as breeding factories has on the health status of women in the UShealth status of women in the US.

3. To identify future research needed to further explore the view of American women as breeding factories and gthat view’s relationship with the health status of women in the US.

BackgroundBackgroundBackgroundBackground

Consider the current stories of two American mothers . . .

Consider the current stories of the two most famous broods in the world . . . .

Objective 1Objective 1

To describe the view of A i American women as breeding factories from th t t f t the context of current anthropological theories and research findings and research findings.

Perspective of PhysiologicalPhysiologicalAnthropologyPlotz 2005Plotz, 2005

Perspective of Cultural Cultural AnthropologyWagner 2006Wagner, 2006

Objective 2Objective 2

To summarize the potential impact that viewing American women as breeding factories has on the health status of women in the US.

Current Health Status Current Health Status of American Womenof American Womenof American Womenof American Women

Biological Biological Emotional S i l Social Spiritual Economic Savage, 2001g ,

Women’s Health Status Impact SummaryWomen’s Health Status Impact Summary

Toward An Improved Health Status Toward An Improved Health Status of American Womenof American Womenof American Womenof American Women

BiologicalBiological Emotional Social Social Spiritual Economic EconomicHolmes &

Warelow 2000Warelow, 2000 Savage, 2002

Objective 3Objective 3

To identify future research needed to further exploreneeded to further explore the view of American women as breedingwomen as breeding factories and that view’s relationship with therelationship with the health status of US women.

Proposed Women’s Women s Health Research Research Trajectory

Women’s Health RecommendationsWomen’s Health RecommendationsWomen s Health RecommendationsWomen s Health Recommendations

NormalcyE tEmpowermentAutonomyBeneficenceResponsibilityp y

ReferencesReferencesReferencesReferences

Davis-Floyd, R. (2002). A symbolic analysis of Davis Floyd, R. (2002). A symbolic analysis of standard obstetrical procedures. Retrieved May 28, 2009 from: http://www.birthpsychology.com/messages/symbolic/symbolic.html

Holmes, C. & Warelow, P. (2000). Some implications of post modernism for nursing theoryimplications of post-modernism for nursing theory, research, and practice. Canadian Journal of Nursing Research 32(2) 89-101Nursing Research, 32(2), 89 101.

References (References (cont’dcont’d ))References (References (cont d.cont d.)) Plotz, D. (2005). The Genius Factory. New York, NY:

Random House. Savage, J. S. (2001). Birth stories: A way of knowing

i hildbi th d ti J l f P i t lin childbirth education. Journal of PerinatalEducation, 10(2), 3-7.

Savage J S (2002) Postmodern implications of Savage, J. S. (2002). Postmodern implications of modern childbirth. International Journal of Childbirth Education, 17(4), 8-10. ( )

Wagner, M. (2006). Born in the USA. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

Female Breeding Factories: Female Breeding Factories: How the Modern Medical Maternity Machine How the Modern Medical Maternity Machine

Constrains Women's Health in AmericaConstrains Women's Health in America

Nursing 6903 Anthropology and Women’s HealthA Cultural Anthropology Project and Presentation

Consuela Witherspoon