A mother’s decision-making process underlying the choice of her delivery method in the months leading up to birth is not only a highly complex and non-linear development as Mina’s story above...Show moreA mother’s decision-making process underlying the choice of her delivery method in the months leading up to birth is not only a highly complex and non-linear development as Mina’s story above suggests, but also a politically, socially and economically charged experience. In Turkey in particular, mothers-to-be are affected by a changing political rhetoric portrayed in national media, the influence of friends and family within their immediate social surroundings, and the cultural understanding of the doctor’s role in the clinical environment. Accordingly, my research puts forward that the Global Health challenge of unprecedented increases in C-sections world-wide cannot be viewed independently of the specific environment through which mothers navigate leading up to birth. Although influencing factors in the decision-making process stem from the political, social and medical perceptions at large, their composition is highly context dependant. Through the lens of body politics, my research will address the medicalization of the female body as well as the increasing normalizing of the surgical birth procedure intended for emergencies. Rooted in biopower, body politics, as informed by Dr. Wendy Harcourt, will constitute the framework to make sense of the factors influencing women leading up to their delivery. Using this approach, my qualitative research will shed light on how women’s decision-making processes regarding child delivery are shaped in Turkey’s political, socio-cultural and clinical environment.Show less
