In Young's discussion of pregnancy, she discusses the medicalization of pregnancy. She implies that the practices of medicine cause a notion of alienation in the pregnant woman. Once medicine and the practices of the institution of medicine are introduced into the topic of pregnancy, according to Young, it makes it as though the status of the woman is that of illness, not excitement. No longer is the woman being viewed as this great reproducing body, rather, it is implied that she is injured or ill, and she needs to be treated differently. I think that this makes it seem as though there are negative connotations which go along with pregnancy. Pregnancy becomes devalued, and the woman is looked at and treated much differently than a non-pregnant woman. I agree with Young's views on this issue, and the ways in which a pregnant woman is viewed goes against many of the ways in which they are intended to be viewed in our society.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Pregnancy and Medicine
After reading Young's piece titled "Pregnant Embodiment: Subjectivity and Alienation," it seems as though there are some conflicts in societies opinion of pregnancy. Throughout many class discussions and readings based on the cultural opinion and ideas about pregnancy, it has come to my attention that one of the sole purposes of women is for reproduction. We have been taught to assume that women are meant to be pregnant, and continue to reproduce, time after time. While this is not the reality of the capabilities of a woman, it is still assumed that women are supposed to produce offspring more frequently than not.
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I don't think that it's accurate to assert that we are taught "to assume that women are meant to be pregnant, and continue to reproduce, time after time," or that "it is ... assumed that women are supposed to produce offspring more frequently than not." While I think you are cognizant of an important issue, I think that you have over-stated your case here. It is not the frequency with which we presume women should produce offspring that is the problem, but, rather, it is the presumption that they should produce offspring at all that is at issue. I think you would be hard-pressed to find anyone willing to argue that women should remain pregnant at all times.
Your second point, regarding the medicalization of pregnancy, is somewhat well-taken. It is odd to think that, for thousands of years, humans were able to birth and raise young without the intervention of doctors and, now, a woman is likely considered neglectful should she choice to eschew the advice of an OB/GYN during her pregnancy. I think, though, that the problem with the medicalization of pregnancy, however, is not only, in part, because of the position (or perceived position) in which it places the woman, i.e. being ill, etc. But I think it is also noteworthy that it puts her under the control of a doctor who is most likely a man, which seems to further subordinate women under men.
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