3 credits
Fall 2026 Lecture Upper Division
How women understand and experience pregnancy and birth in the United States has changed rapidly over the past three centuries. Medicine, technology, and societal expectations about gender have transformed the reproductive experience. This course situates pregnancy and birth within the wider context of U.S. history.
Learning Outcomes1Identify long-term trends in the history of pregnancy and childbirth (including the rise of hospital birth and the continued problem of high infant and maternal mortality rates).
2Learn how to conduct an oral history interview on childbirth.
3Connect contemporary concerns regarding reproduction (including the Dobbs v. Jackson decision) to historical precedents.
4Understand the differences between various birth practitioners (midwives, GPs, obstetricians, and doulas).
5Differentiate between various locations where birth takes place.
made by Purdue students.