“Before the late 1800s cesarean sections were death rituals, not life-saving procedures.” (157) This sounds a whole lot different from how the modern day C-sections are looked upon. This procedure is now known to save lives when conducted correctly. For this blog post I will be writing about the history of C-sections. C-sections where not just a risky procedure but a feminist debate. In 1979 Dr. Florence Haseltine, a obstetrician and diehard feminist had a C-section out of choice and not need. She was the founder of the Society for Women’s Health Research, on the board of American Women in Science and she earned the American Woman Science Award. Despite her husband’s approval of the C-section many were not supportive of her C-section of choice. Haseltine said “You get pregnant to have a child, not to have a delivery.” (154)
I think this saying of hers is a very good contradictory statement to all of those not in favor of her cesarean section. I think it’s interesting that C-sections were conducted so informally, without knowledge of one’s actions or any pain relievers at time. I am able to understand that it was a feminism issue because women were not made aware of what was happening to their bodies. I am also curious about the self conducted C-sections. I wonder how women were able to bare so much pain and simultaneously make decent incisions.
There was a 14-year-old girl pregnant with twins performed her own C-section as well as A Turkish woman who was in labor for 36 hours. Both of the stories listed above the women take it upon themselves to perform C-sections and managed to survive. “Today the cesarean section is the most common operation in America women of reproductive age”(154) . The operation comes with a lot less risk than it originally did. There are also doctors now say specifically trained for the operations. I am amazed by the progress made in a 200 year time period.there are debate so who made the first official successful C-section but there are many theories. Overall from the section of reading about C-sections I’ve learned that there had to be women involved in medicine that were willing to take extreme risk that would end up changing the future and positively affecting the lives of many women. Without women willing to have C-sections performed and performing their own women today may not have such successful deliveries and high survival rates.
StarPathDesign 
Oh my god, your title is so cheesy Alexis, but I loved it. While I was reading your blog, I wonder how does one self C-section? Isn’t that like take a knife and cutting your uterus open? I agree with you how our medical procedures improve so much. From something so life risking to life saving. My mother went through C-section for me and my sister, she told me that it was the safest option for the baby. That’s why I was surprised when you say C-section was dangerous. Thank you for the diagram it is very helpful. Well done 🙂 – Truc
alexis m!
I really enjoyed reading your blogpost! It really does amaze me as to how far we have come with our advances and knowledge of deliveries and pregnancies overall. it’s crazy to see how some women took crazy risks to deliver their child. it is really sad to see how some women get judged due to their choice of delivery! instead, we should be grateful that there are multiple ways to deliver a child and have some knowledge to each type of birth method(s).
alexis m!
I really enjoyed reading your blogpost! It really does amaze me as to how far we have come with our advances and knowledge of deliveries and pregnancies overall. it’s crazy to see how some women took crazy risks to deliver their child. it is really sad to see how some women get judged due to their choice of delivery! instead, we should be grateful that there are multiple ways to deliver a child and have some knowledge to each type of birth method(s).
-pattie A