The Social Context of Birth

Midwives and other health care professionals need to have a deep understanding of the various lives childbearing women live in order to support them insightfully and practise in a nuanced manner. The Social Context of Birth has been revised, updated and enlarged to provide an essential understanding of the different lives women live and in which they birth their children. For the first time, it also contains original primary research on the perspectives of student midwives as they progress through their three year training. This comprehensive guide provides countless valuable insights into the many different lives, experiences and expectations of women in their childbearing years in the twenty-first century, especially vulnerable women. Written by a team of highly experienced health professionals, it also covers contentious areas of maternity care, such as new reproductive technologies and fetal surveillance. A true essential for all healthcare professionals who work with women giving birth, such as midwives, nurses, health visitors and obstetricians, and wish to deepen their knowledge of women's lives.

Caroline Squire recently retired as a senior lecturer at University of West London. She qualified as a midwife in 1981, practising in a variety of inner and outer London hospitals before qualifying as a lecturer in 1988. She has a particular interest in women's studies and has an MSc in Medical Anthropology. She is also qualified as an Acupuncturist and Chinese medical herbalist.

Chapter 1. Women and Society [Caroline Squire] Chapter 2. Women and Sex [Sandy Nelson] Chapter 3. Women, Poverty and childbirth [Caroline Squire ] Chapter 4. The Family [Val Dunn-Toroosian ] Chapter 5. 'Race', Ethnicity, Culture and Childbirth [Dave Sookhoo] Chapter 6. Refugee Women [Caroline Squire] Chapter 7. Domestic Violence in Pregnancy [Sally Cottrell] Chapter 8. Female Genital Mutilation [Comfort Momoh] Chapter 9. Transition to Motherhood [Nicola Winson] Chapter 10. Maternal-infant Attachment [Cathy Rowan] Chapter 11. The Medicalisation of Childbirth [Alyson Einion] Chapter 12. Socialisation of Midwifery [Alyson Einion] Chapter 13. Social Support and Childbirth [Christine McCourt] Chapter 14. Unhappiness after Childbirth [Christine Grabowska] Chapter 15. Childbirth and Sexual Abuse during Childhood [Caroline Squire] Chapter 16. Young Mothers [Louise Hunter] Chapter 17. Women in Prison [Julie Jones] Chapter 18. The New Reproductive Technologies: threat of opportunity? [Marilyn Crawshaw] Chapter 19. Fetal Surveillance [Christine Grabowska] Chapter 20. Breastfeeding: a natural phenomenon or a cultural construct? [Cathryn Britton] Chapter 21. Experiencing Disability [Harriet Clarke]