Date of Award

2013

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

Fairchild, Emily

Keywords

Birth, Medicalization, Control, Empowerment, Gender, Pregnancy, Hospital, Out-of-Hospital

Area of Concentration

Sociology

Abstract

According to the 2011 National Vital Statistic Report 98.9% of births take place in hospitals. However, the number of out-of-hospital births has grown in past decade. While perspectives are debated among birthing professionals, theorists, and activists on which setting is the "best" to give birth, there is not a good understanding of women's experiences while giving birth, due to lack of research. This study examines the experiences of individuals who have recently given birth, with a focus on their care provider and birth setting, and assess personal understandings of empowerment and control. Sixteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with individuals who had recently given birth, including eight women who gave birth within the hospital and eight women who gave birth outside of the hospital. This study found that participants who birthed within the hospital did so because of access to medical intervention, and faced greater challenges to control. Out-of-hospital participants an made an active choice to reject intervention, gave more detailed descriptions of their experiences of control and empowerment, and reported closer relationships with their care providers, but were also at risk for greater scrutiny in their birth choices, particularly from loved-ones, due to their choice to birth outside the norm.

Rights

This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida Libraries, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.

Download

Share

COinS