Ultrasound technology is, as explained in "Fetal Views: Histories and Habits of Looking at the Fetus in Germany," abnormal. As Erikson describes, "[t]he compulsion to look into unlit bodily spaces, uteruses included, I argue, is a habitualized act, not something one is born wanting or knowing how to do." I have grown up, as most of us have, in a time where science and technology allows unbelievable areas of our bodies and biologies to be illuminated, illustrated, and detailed to an extreme. To me, getting an ultrasound at certain points of pregnancy is normal--but this article reminds me just how unique that experience is. This article also outlines the scientific transition that accompanied science around prenatal care, and later ultrasound.
The first striking thing to me when I think about the transition to using ultrasound is the significant way we change we consume and view science. Science is widely acknowledged as an authoritative force outlining data, numbers, and facts. You read science in a textbook, you learn science in class, you apply science to different situations, and so on. The introduction of something like the ultrasound, though, shifts the need for absolute numbers and data. Rather, the image is consumed, an image that was produced through highly advanced technology, and science, that was able to illustrate a space unillustrated before. In this case, it can seem as though science is able to give more access to a personal realm.
Something else Erikson outlined in this article is how prenatal care and women's health slowly shifted from a female dominated space to a male dominated space. The way Erikson described this process is akin to how we discussed laboratory spaces and isolation a couple of weeks ago. When females were in control of women's health and the birthing process, there was consideration, understanding, and an aspect of care that surrounded the process. As the field became more male dominated, the uterus and fetus became isolated, as if it was detached from the female body. Further, male dominated forces in a subjectively female process removes a sort of mutual understanding and comfort. This isolation, taking the fetus and uterus out of context while still very much within the female body, mirrors the scientific process in the Pasteur article. While I think ultrasound technology can significantly enhance the pregnancy experience for many women, I feel that understanding its uniqueness and striking history is relevant in how one consumes the "data."
The first striking thing to me when I think about the transition to using ultrasound is the significant way we change we consume and view science. Science is widely acknowledged as an authoritative force outlining data, numbers, and facts. You read science in a textbook, you learn science in class, you apply science to different situations, and so on. The introduction of something like the ultrasound, though, shifts the need for absolute numbers and data. Rather, the image is consumed, an image that was produced through highly advanced technology, and science, that was able to illustrate a space unillustrated before. In this case, it can seem as though science is able to give more access to a personal realm.
Something else Erikson outlined in this article is how prenatal care and women's health slowly shifted from a female dominated space to a male dominated space. The way Erikson described this process is akin to how we discussed laboratory spaces and isolation a couple of weeks ago. When females were in control of women's health and the birthing process, there was consideration, understanding, and an aspect of care that surrounded the process. As the field became more male dominated, the uterus and fetus became isolated, as if it was detached from the female body. Further, male dominated forces in a subjectively female process removes a sort of mutual understanding and comfort. This isolation, taking the fetus and uterus out of context while still very much within the female body, mirrors the scientific process in the Pasteur article. While I think ultrasound technology can significantly enhance the pregnancy experience for many women, I feel that understanding its uniqueness and striking history is relevant in how one consumes the "data."
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