Retired UF professor Dr. Donald Caton will discuss the impact of feminism in relation to childbirth Thursday night at the Matheson History Museum.
Drawing from his experiences working in the UF department of anesthesiology, and obstetrics and gynecology at the College of Medicine, Caton will explain how the women’s liberation movement led to some expectant mothers opting for natural childbirth.
Caton will speak at 6 p.m., with a book signing following his presentation.
“One of my messages will be the extent to which women have shaped medical practice,” he said. “I think neither physicians nor patients are really aware of the extent to which medical practice is shaped and influenced by social values.”
Caton’s discussion on the women’s liberation movement and its effect on childbirth coincides with the museum’s latest exhibit interpreting and celebrating the diverse healthcare history of Alachua County.
Peggy Macdonald, the museum’s director, said Caton’s talk will shed light on Gainesville as an epicenter for the movement away from doctor-assisted births and pain relief.
While first-wave feminists fought for doctor-assisted births and the administration of painkillers, second-wave feminists fought for natural childbirth, MacDonald said.
Hazel Levy, a UF professor in the College of Medicine, said current social norms would not be possible without the efforts of feminists.
“Not everyone experiences pain in the same way so having a women-centered approach also implies having an individualized approach instead of a one-size-fits-all,” she said.
