The cultural history of childbirth in Spain during the Golden Age, in a new book by Jesús M. Usunáriz, a professor at the University

Jesús M. Usunáriz, Full Professor Modern History at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Navarra, has published the book *Giving Birth in Golden Age Spain: Notes for a Cultural History*. Published by Sílex, the work brings together Professor Usunáriz’s research from recent years on pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period in 16th- and 17th-century Spain.

Drawing on medical, legal, literary, and devotional sources, this Issue eight programs of study reconstruct the knowledge, practices, and representations that gave meaning to the act of childbirth during this period. It also delves into aspects rarely explored by historiography, such as the role of comadres or midwives as mediators between experience and rule; nutrition during pregnancy and the postpartum period in medical and popular culture; the emotions associated with motherhood—particularly melancholy; the role of men; the recognition of paternity and the legal frameworks of filiation; accounts of miracles linked to childbirth; the causes of maternal mortality; and the particularities of the Latin American world.

As the author explains, the goal offer a broad perspective on a fundamental event in human life: “Through these texts, the aim is to provide an interdisciplinary approach to childbirth in this era, taking into account not only medical and scientific advances, but also the influences of religious beliefs, cultural traditions, and the Structures that defined the historical and staff context staff women giving birth.” final, “to analyze how human beings, throughout the centuries, have understood and experienced childbirth as a profound experience, shaped by the specific characteristics of the historical, social, and cultural context in which it occurs.”

One of the most innovative aspects of the book is its incorporation of perspectives that have traditionally received little attention, such as the emotional dimension of pregnancy and the postpartum period, or the role of the father in reproductive processes. Furthermore, the research special emphasis on hagiographic sources, which allow us to reconstruct the social and religious perceptions of childbirth and delve into a world in which birth could also be experienced as a transcendental event, while also bringing the reader closer to the everyday experiences of women in a context of high maternal and infant mortality.

In the foreword, Professor Wolfram Aichinger of the University of Vienna, a specialist in the cultural history of childbirth, highlights the significance of research . “Every page of this book offers new insights to curious readers,” he states. Furthermore, he positions the work a reference letter contribution reference letter understanding Early Modern society: “The history of childbirth is not merely a prehistory of modern gynecology; studying it means striving for a more nuanced, articulate, and comprehensive general history.”

The book can be purchased at this link.