title: [Anomalous pregnancies in ancient medicine].
abstract: In ancient Greek medicine female physiology is determined by a particular state of non-steady equilibrium, largely based on pregnancy and lactation, presented as the only balanced and healthy periods in women's life. Nonetheless, pregnancy can be also a pathological moment, in particular referring to specific alterations of its 'normal time' ('seven-months', 'eight-months' and 'ten-months' children). The article analyzes the well-known case of myle, an abnormal pregnancy developing in three and sometimes four years, non resolving in a normal delivery, but often in a dramatic haemorrhagic flux. The author compares Hippocratic and Aristotelic testimonies about myle and abnormal pregnancies with the evidence fournished by the historical-religious recent studies about Hera and her parthenogenetic, monstrous children.
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Storia della Medicina, Sapienza-Università di Roma, Italy. valentina.gazzaniga@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gazzaniga
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000266:history*