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"Depraved
Indifference" Since
the advent of direct tests of fetal health in the 1960’s, the process
of birthing has become progressively more medicalized and the role of
the obstetrician (typically male) has dramatically increased. The man
in the white coat has been transformed into an expert needed by women
who are made to feel incapable. If that omnipotent obstetrician attended
medical school in the 1970’s, he may have used the textbook, "Obstetrics
and Gynecology," which includes this appraisal of the women they
will be treating: "The traits that compose the core of the female
personality are feminine narcissism, masochism, and passivity."
If he got his degree anytime from the 80’s on, his text could have
been "Medical, Surgical, and Gynecological Complications of Pregnancy,"
which warns future doctors how "dangerous" those patients
"who consider themselves 'socially aware'" are. That type
of woman is "not necessarily more mature but are trying, by their
active interest in everything 'avant garde,' socially as well as medically,
to persuade themselves and other that they are...This is the patient
who is interested in such methods as 'natural childbirth,' hypnosis,
of using childbirth as an 'experience'." Recalling
the example of Melissa Ann Rowland, the text concludes that such a woman
"requires close and constant psychiatric support." In
his book, "Reclaiming Our Health," John Robbins points out
a delicious judgment of the standard obstetrical text, "Williams
Obstetrics": "The 15th edition is 923 pages long. In the index
there appears an entry that was apparently slipped in unnoticed by some
brave soul who, faced with the tedious task of preparing the index,
wanted to voice his or her opinion about the book. The line reads: 'Chauvinism,
male, pages 1-923'." There's
more than chauvinism at work in the C-section issue when obstetricians
and hospitals are more highly reimbursed for surgical births than for
vaginal births. "In the state of Washington," Robbins explains,
"the Caesarean rate in nonprofit hospitals is 20%, while the rate
in for-profit hospitals is 36%. A few years ago a Kansas health maintenance
organization (HMO) changed its policies and began to reimburse doctors
equally for Caesarean and normal deliveries, so there was no longer
a financial incentive to do Caesareans. The Caesarean rate dropped from
28.7% to 13.5% in one year." Upon
closer examination, one will find that the entire system of medical
research is tainted by patriarchy and profit. "Biologists and physicians
have traditionally been men and have thought of males as the norm,"
says Ruth Hubbard. "And they have taught us to think of the ways
in which women's bodies are different from men's as deviations from
this norm." Conditions
that affect men and women equally-heart disease, certain cancers,etc.-are
heavily researched, for sure. But they are studied "almost exclusively
in men," says Hubbard. "Little research has been done on lupus,
rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, and other conditions that affect
primarily women. No one even understands why their incidence is skewed." Melissa
Ann Rowland, 28, of Salt Lake City may or may not have received sound
medical advice and she may or may not have ignored it and this may or
may not have contributed to the death of her child. We can only hope
the truth is found amidst the scapegoating and hysteria. However, what
we can focus on now is how demonizing Rowland and criminalizing her
choices is yet another episode in a long, sad history of male- and profit-dominated
medicine. "To
be both useful and benign," concludes Hubbard, "science needs
to draw on the experience of people who are usually disqualified fro
making science, like women." In his book, Robbins offers examples
of many women who are "beginning to stand up to this exploitation...They
are saying no to unnecessary drugs and surgery, and using safe and natural
methods...Their lives are messages to us all, male and female, of hope
and inspiration." Our
job is to make sure that hope and inspiration is transformed into widespread
awareness and tangible action. Suggested
reading:
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