babies in the cornfield: stories of maternal health and death from around the world
TRANSCRIPT
MEDIA REVIEW
Babies in the Cornfield: Stories of Maternal Health and DeathFrom Around the World
By Ann Davenport. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2009. 149pages. $11.99, paperback.
Reviewed by: Brooke Flinders, CNM, MSN, RN.
Ann Davenport is a nurse and midwife with extensiveexperience and never-ending insight. She has worked inmore than 15 countries and has been ‘‘with women’’long and intimately enough to understand and convey theirstories. The purpose of this book is to address the ques-tions faced while considering how birth is a force thatgives everyone meaning; help forge connections withchildbearing women through reflection; and discuss whatwould be lost if women were removed from birth,a concept introduced by Emily Martin in her book TheWoman in the Body. Is Davenport successful in meetingher objectives? Absolutely.
The chapters and stories are not meant to stand alone butrather to build upon one another and tell a story—thestories—of maternal health and death from around theworld. One chapter, entitled ‘‘What is maternal mortalityrate?,’’ discusses the fact that mortality rates are skewedby our definitions of what ‘‘counts’’ (who counts) and theagendas of whomever happens to be counting. Davenportpoints out that funding is tied to priorities that are capturedby our tabulations, but that without context, the rates aremeaningless and our interventions are fruitless. For exam-ple, the author discusses that the number one pregnancy-associated cause of death for women in the United Statesis murder. However, because of the World Health Organi-zation’s definition of maternal mortality, which excludesaccidental or incidental causes, this cause of death is notprioritized, funded, nor addressed preventatively.
To summarize the content of this short book is difficult.There are many messages communicated and ideas thatone reflects upon while reading chapters and ‘‘Pregnantpauses,’’ which are embedded opportunities to considerand reconsider particular concepts. It’s quite possiblethat each reader will come away with her or his ownsummary. One example of a pregnant pause, entitled
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‘‘Ritual and reason,’’ describes rituals or customs ofpregnancy and birth and explains the reasons behindeach. The point of this brief ‘‘pause’’ is to consider thattraditions affect learning, compliance, and outcomes.Without understanding how a woman fits within a familyand a system, it’s impossible to impact her care. Every in-tervention, or lack of intervention, needs to be understoodwithin the context of each woman’s culture and beliefs,which is evident when reading Davenport’s stories ofreal women in real places. Just when the reader thinksthat this is about someone else, from somewhere else,though, the author states, ‘‘If you think this little bookonly deals with poor, brown women in far-flung placesyou will probably never visit, I have a little pause foryou to consider.’’ She goes on to portray problems withUS maternity care, which are amplified by our being‘‘the richest country in the world’’ according to the author.
This book is full of references; each paragraph lists authorsor quotations or statistics that could involve extensiveannotations for the committed reader. Davenport is wellread, well traveled, and has an incredible personalframework. She knows childbirth and power and societyin a global way, and is able to contextualize childbirth inthe United States realistically. The references and bibliog-raphy are completely relevant and are part of why thisbook is so rich. Davenport directs the reader to authorsand ideas and studies that may not be familiar to them.These resources, which fall into categories other thanmedical or even midwifery literature, pave the wayfor new connections in understanding and even inprofessional networking and practice.
The intended audience is wide. Terms are explained anddefined so that a reader from most disciplines couldfollow. Midwives will likely read and nod, read and nod.Students will likely read and open their mouths in shock.Higher education and medical professionals may readand reflect on beliefs and biases held by peers, if notthemselves.
This book is versatile in the messages that will be learnedand in the ways that it can be used. It can be read to informor inspire. It is unlikely be read and forgotten.
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