title: Lifelong significance of disempowering experiences in prenatal and maternity care: interviews with elderly Swedish women.
abstract: In this article I show how the effects of harsh and humiliating treatment, experienced by a number of Swedish women in antenatal care and childbirth in the mid-20th Century, endured for the rest of their lives. This treatment was carried out by medical staff in conformity with a view of expectant mothers as irresponsible and ignorant and with the prevalent idea of "natural birth." These effects were findings in an interview investigation that, with a colleague, I conducted into paid and unpaid work and health of 20 women, seen in a lifetime perspective. Our biomedical way of understanding risks and complications during pregnancy and birthing was confronted with many participants' feelings of distress, guilt, and grief linked to their childbearing experience. I interpret the treatments as "violations of dignity" and as abuse. The consequences are similar to those following traumatic birth experiences described in today's literature.
authors: Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden. annika.forssen@nll.se
authors: Annika S K
authors: AS
authors: Forssén
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D016389:Maternal-Child Nursing; D036801:Parturition / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000523:psychology*; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D013548:Sweden