Abstract
The contemporary Russian healthcare system potentially meets all needs of citizens in the realm of medical services. In particular, it provides obstetric-gynecologic assistance to pregnant women, various types and forms of medical aid, and immunization. In this article I analyze reasons why the adherents of natural parenting, one of the most radical forms of intensive mothering, refuse these medical treatments and turn to such non-conventional practices as homebirth, anti-vaccination, and alternative medical healing. The analysis of 36 semi-structural interviews with natural mothers conducted in St Petersburg (2015) and Moscow (2016) within the framework of research on the phenomenon of natural parenting in contemporary Russia reveals that the choice of these practices is stipulated by an adherence to the idea of the body as flexible, agile system, and general mistrust of the institution of official medicine and specific risk assessment.
| Translated title of the contribution | “If We Break а Leg, We’ll Definitely Go to A&E”: Specificities of Interaction between Russian Natural Parenting Adherents and Official Medicine |
|---|---|
| Original language | Russian |
| Pages (from-to) | 151-176 |
| Number of pages | 26 |
| Journal | Antropologičeskij forum |
| Issue number | 37 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2018 |
| MoE publication type | A1 Journal article-refereed |
Keywords
- 6160 Övriga humanistiska vetenskaper
- natural parenting
- home birth
- vaccine resistance
- anti-vaccination
- homeopathy
- osteopathy
- alternative medical practices
- care privatization