Giving birth as a struggle: between bodily experience and medical practice

Globally, the birth giving practice became highly “medicalised.” Czech legislation reinforces this trend on birth giving by restricting the possibility to choose the place of birth. As a result, vast majority of women give birth in the hospital with only estimated 0.5% of birth given outside of the hospital. Nevertheless a heated discussion about the freedom of choice on the birth giving practice takes place between the Czech midwifes and obstetricians. Paternalistic healthcare with prominent male experts is opposed by female activist, who, advocating for freedom to choose the place of birth are accused of being ideological and lacking expertize. This presentation provides the possibility to experience two “versions” of the truth: the lived experiences of women giving birth and the expertise of obstetricians articulated while discussing the “choice” of place and form of giving birth. In order to engage the visitors, we will create a spatial and sensorial simulacrum of birth situations using authentic pictures and narratives arranged in provocative conjunctions and combined with audio recordings and obstetric facilities.