การคลอด: จากวิถีธรรมชาติสู่กระบวนการครอบงำทางการแพทย์

Abstract

Birth is a natural phenomenon that occurs as part of the human reproductive process and that has a socio-cultural dimension related to both the natural environment and the social context within which it takes place. When the socio-economic environment changes rapidly such as through the development of medical technology, the delivery patterns of Thai women also alters according to both modern medical systems and changing attitudes regarding westernization. Medicalization has influenced delivery patterns, with scientific and modern medicine discourses and symbols constructed to describe safe motherhood. This medicalization has led to the instances of natural birth decreasing, whereas births utilizing advanced medical technologies have consistently increased. Thus, for policy-makers, the changes in the social phenomenon of delivery patterns among Thai women should be of concern, and be taken into consideration, when developing new policies.