Overview

How much influence does culture have on a mother's reactions to pregnancy loss? At what stage is a fetus attributed with human status? How does this affect the mother's reactions to the loss of a baby? Contemporary, historical and oral-history accounts from regions as diverse as rural North India, urban America, South Africa and Northern Ireland, provide a fascinating insight into the experience and management of miscarriage across a number of different cultures. The authors explore how the social, technological and medical context in which miscarriages occur can affect the ways in which women experience such an event. In the West, advances in medical technology, a low infant-mortality rate and a low birth rate have raised expectations as to the successful outcome of each pregnancy. In addition, the early confirmation of pregnancy makes consequent pregnancy loss -- which might have gone unnoticed or unconfirmed in the past -- all the more difficult for mothers in the West. Yet, mourning rituals and behaviour at a pregnancy loss, which may be elaborate in some societies, are generally considered to be inappropriate in many Western societies. Differing social beliefs regarding the causes of miscarriage, preventative measures and curative treatments are also examined. Medical anthropologists, sociologists and health professionals will all find this book fascinating reading.

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9781859731253

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Reviews

anyone interested in a broad view of the topic of pregnancy loss from a multi-ethnic perspective will find it a fascinating read. Alison Wood, NCT bereavement support co-ordinator 'It makes an important contribution towards correcting the erasure of these common experiences from the literature on reproductive health. [...] This is a stimulating book recommended especially for those interested in medical anthropology, reproductive health, or cross-cultural constructions of personhood and gender.' Canberra Anthropology Each article is thoroughly researched and has extensive bibliographies. The book answered many of my questions of what miscarriage is like for other cultures... Freda Cammack, The Miscarriage Association 'We have previously lacked an anthropological perspective on pregnancy loss ... This volume is a valuable contribution in redressing that omission.' The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute 'this collection of ten articles convincingly demonstrates that the study of pregnancy loss helps illuminate fundamental cultural concepts essential to much anthropological analysis, such as life, death, the person and the body, as well as the world-view of a given culture.' Journal of the Anthropological Society of Oxford

'anyone interested in a broad view of the topic of pregnancy loss from a multi-ethnic perspective will find it a fascinating read.' Alison Wood, NCT bereavement support co-ordinator 'It makes an important contribution towards correcting the erasure of these common experiences from the literature on reproductive health. [...] This is a stimulating book recommended especially for those interested in medical anthropology, reproductive health, or cross-cultural constructions of personhood and gender.' Canberra Anthropology 'Each article is thoroughly researched and has extensive bibliographies. The book answered many of my questions of what miscarriage is like for other cultures... ' Freda Cammack, The Miscarriage Association 'We have previously lacked an anthropological perspective on pregnancy loss ... This volume is a valuable contribution in redressing that omission.' The Journal of the Roya

'anyone interested in a broad view of the topic of pregnancy loss from a multi-ethnic perspective will find it a fascinating read.'Alison Wood, NCT bereavement support co-ordinator'It makes an important contribution towards correcting the erasure of these common experiences from the literature on reproductive health. [...] This is a stimulating book recommended especially for those interested in medical anthropology, reproductive health, or cross-cultural constructions of personhood and gender.'Canberra Anthropology 'Each article is thoroughly researched and has extensive bibliographies. The book answered many of my questions of what miscarriage is like for other cultures... ' Freda Cammack, The Miscarriage Association'We have previously lacked an anthropological perspective on pregnancy loss ... This volume is a valuable contribution in redressing that omission.'The Journal of the Roya

"""anyone interested in a broad view of the topic of pregnancy loss from a multi-ethnic perspective will find it a fascinating read."" Alison Wood, NCT bereavement support co-ordinator 'It makes an important contribution towards correcting the erasure of these common experiences from the literature on reproductive health. [...] This is a stimulating book recommended especially for those interested in medical anthropology, reproductive health, or cross-cultural constructions of personhood and gender.' Canberra Anthropology ""Each article is thoroughly researched and has extensive bibliographies. The book answered many of my questions of what miscarriage is like for other cultures... "" Freda Cammack, The Miscarriage Association 'We have previously lacked an anthropological perspective on pregnancy loss ... This volume is a valuable contribution in redressing that omission.' The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute 'this collection of ten articles convincingly demonstrates that the study of pregnancy loss helps illuminate fundamental cultural concepts essential to much anthropological analysis, such as life, death, the person and the body, as well as the world-view of a given culture.' Journal of the Anthropological Society of Oxford"

Author Information

Rosanne Cecil Research Fellow,Department of Social Anthropology, The Queen's University of Belfast

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