Delivering Health: Midwifery and Development in Mexico

Lydia Z. Dixon's Delivering Health explores how maternal health outcomes in Mexico have been shaped by historical, political, and social factors, and how midwives are strategically positioning themselves as agents of modernity and development. The book ethnographically examines three midwifery education programs in Mexico, highlighting the challenges and opportunities they face in providing good reproductive health care.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 232 pages
Publication date: 30 November 2020
Publisher: Vanderbilt University Press

Maternal health outcomes are a critical concern in global health initiatives, and Delivering Health by Lydia Z. Dixon explores how these outcomes have been shaped by broader historical, political, and social factors in Mexico. Dixon uncovers the ways in which midwives, who have historically been marginalized in Mexico, are now strategically positioning themselves as agents of modernity and development. Midwifery education programs have emerged across Mexico, each with its own critique of the healthcare system and vision for how midwifery can help. Delivering Health ethnographically examines three such schools with different educational approaches and professional goals, from San Miguel de Allende to Oaxaca to Michoacán and points between. Through interviews, observational data, and even student artwork, Dixon shows how underlying inequality manifests in poor care for many Mexican women. The midwives in this book argue that they can improve care while also addressing this inequality. Ultimately, Delivering Health asks us to consider the possibility that marginalized actors like midwives may hold the solution to widespread concerns in health.

Weight: 380g
Dimension: 152 x 228 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780826501134