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Available From UC Press
A Womb of One's Own
Lost Histories of Childbirth in Ancient Rome
A bold new history of women's health and midwifery, brought to life through ancient women's stories of pregnancy and birth.
In the well-trod history of the Roman Empire, a pivotal moment has long gone unnoticed: It was in ancient Rome that medical men first set their sights on childbirth, the traditional domain of female midwives.
Taking us to the dawn of Western obstetrics, A Womb of One's Own offers a feminist account of how, against a long tradition of midwifery, male doctors began claiming authority in reproductive matters, with an emphasis on theoretical rather than practical knowledge. Their intrusion paved the way for the later criminalization of midwives and the cloaking of childbirth in secrecy and shame.
Yet communities of Roman women continued to help each other through the journey from preconception to postpartum, guided by their own experience and the expertise of midwives. Tara Mulder recovers stories of ancient women living and resisting as they sought autonomy over their bodies and their health. Recounting their experiences in vivid, intimate detail, she reveals how old our modern conflicts around birth truly are.
In the well-trod history of the Roman Empire, a pivotal moment has long gone unnoticed: It was in ancient Rome that medical men first set their sights on childbirth, the traditional domain of female midwives.
Taking us to the dawn of Western obstetrics, A Womb of One's Own offers a feminist account of how, against a long tradition of midwifery, male doctors began claiming authority in reproductive matters, with an emphasis on theoretical rather than practical knowledge. Their intrusion paved the way for the later criminalization of midwives and the cloaking of childbirth in secrecy and shame.
Yet communities of Roman women continued to help each other through the journey from preconception to postpartum, guided by their own experience and the expertise of midwives. Tara Mulder recovers stories of ancient women living and resisting as they sought autonomy over their bodies and their health. Recounting their experiences in vivid, intimate detail, she reveals how old our modern conflicts around birth truly are.
Tara Mulder is Assistant Professor of Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. As the daughter of a homebirth midwife, she has assisted in over two dozen births.
"A Womb of One's Own is a significant scholarly achievement, but it is also more than that. Tara Mulder is an immersive storyteller who guides us into intimate spaces from an ancient past. She attends to the unique specificity of women's reproductive lives, all while pushing the reader to see the connection between past and present struggles for reproductive autonomy and control. This beautiful book is for anyone who wishes to think deeply about the history of childbirth."—Anna Bonnell Freidin, author of Birthing Romans: Childbearing and Its Risks in Imperial Rome
"It is said that stories are data with a soul. In naming women—and telling their stories—Mulder not only honors the rich and complex experiences of childbearing women in ancient Rome but also reminds us that the history of obstetrics is not confined to the past. It forms the very foundation of the beliefs, narratives, and structures that have long displaced women from our central role in the birthing suite—a legacy that still echoes in many modern obstetric practices. By illuminating where we have come from, Mulder reveals where we stand today, offering a powerful reminder that midwives and birthing women have the wisdom, agency, and resilience to ensure history does not continue to dictate destiny."—Aviva Romm, MD and midwife
"It is said that stories are data with a soul. In naming women—and telling their stories—Mulder not only honors the rich and complex experiences of childbearing women in ancient Rome but also reminds us that the history of obstetrics is not confined to the past. It forms the very foundation of the beliefs, narratives, and structures that have long displaced women from our central role in the birthing suite—a legacy that still echoes in many modern obstetric practices. By illuminating where we have come from, Mulder reveals where we stand today, offering a powerful reminder that midwives and birthing women have the wisdom, agency, and resilience to ensure history does not continue to dictate destiny."—Aviva Romm, MD and midwife