Birth as an American Rite of Passage

Birth as an American Rite of Passage is a book written by Robbie Davis-Floyd and published in 1992. It combines anthropology and first-hand accounts, from both mothers and doctors, into a critical analysis of childbirth in America from a feminist perspective. It introduces the theme of technocratic medicine as a form of indoctrination into the patriarchal culture. Davis-Floyd argues that American birthing practices value science over nature, a doctor's knowledge over that of the mother and that many common actions performed by the doctors (or the mother) are technocratic rituals – behaviors that have limited practical purpose, like obstructing the mother's line of sight to the baby exiting her body by placing a sheet over her lower body. Davis-Floyd believes that society, intimidated by women's ability to give birth, has designed unnecessary rituals in order to make the symbolism of childbirth available to everyone, not just those who can bare children. "In this way," she writes, "society symbolically demonstrates ownership of its product."

Key concepts

Technology in birth

Major life transitions are often ritualized in a way that is idiosyncratic to a particular society or culture. Pregnancy and childbirth are transformation processes that reflect the traditions, beliefs, and values of any given culture. Davis-Floyd argues that the current emphasis on technological advances that aid pregnancy, create a negative effect surrounding its ideology. The book uses this discourse to argue that American society values the authoritative knowledge of medical professionals over the knowledge of mothers and midwives. Davis-Floyd's technocratic model criticizes current tocology and childbirth as overly scientific, technology-motivated methods that can serve to disempower women. Certain medical procedures such as a cesarean section, episiotomy, and the positioning of the woman at the time of birth, are viewed as necessary in American birthing culture, but Davis-Floyd argues that doctors and patients perform these standardized procedures mainly as a result of deep-seated cultural beliefs, and not as a consequence of any actual benefits that these procedures impart. She concludes that this leads to the perception that pregnancy and childbirth require medical oversight and interference. Davis-Floyd claims that the majority of women's favorable views of technological intervention during childbirth are due to the influence of authoritative doctors.

Rite of passage

The concept of a rite of passage was coined by ethnographer Arnold van Gennep. Davis-Floyd states that birth as a rite of passage incorporates three stages that are essential to this symbolic process. Obstetric procedures act as rituals for pregnant women and medical personnel, with the intention of improving the attitudes of all individuals involved in the birthing process. For example, when fluids are administered through intravenous therapy, a feeling of security is invoked; a reassuring cultural order is imposed on the daunting and complicated event, reinforcing reliance upon others' authoritative knowledge. Through birth, the treatment of the woman's body, and the doctor's implementation of procedures, a rite of passage is created and enacted within American culture.

Stages

The three stages are broken into separation, pregnancy, and reincorporation. These three stages characterize the rite of passage and are culturally relative to the society within which they are functioning. It has been shown that there are sometimes four stages, and in rare cases, up to ten. However, such cases have never been recorded.

Separation: A phase during which the pregnant woman begins to form a new self-identity as a result of her pregnancy. She is separated from her original state of being. In this stage, the woman is now an "other", unlike her old self.

Pregnancy: A phase where the pregnant woman is in between phases. She is neither a "usual" member of society nor a mother. This stage continues until after the birth of the child.

Integration: The woman accepts her new social identity. This phase ends in the infant's first few months of life when the woman feels that she is similar to her previous self.

Reception

Reviews of this book praised Davis-Floyd for connecting American childbirth with rituals using an anthropological basis. The book also received criticism for being based on a small, one-dimensional sample: interviews with 100 well-educated, middle-class, Caucasian women.