Shifting interests: the medical discourse on abortion in English Canada, 1850-1969

Abstract

This thesis examines the shifts in the medical discourse on abortion in English Canada between 1850 and 1969 as seen in the medical press. This approach allows us to see how (and when) the medical discourse on abortion shifted over time to reflect varying medical, social and political contexts. In the early period (1850-1919) doctors discussed abortion primarily as a means of regulating their profession. In the interwar period (1919-1939) doctors’ discussions shifted to focus on how the practice negatively affected the high maternal mortality rate. In the later period (1940-1969) the profession became more interested in maternal welfare and their discussions of abortion reflected this interest. Throughout the period of study it is clear that because doctors operated within a scientific medical construct, as well as cultural constructs, it was difficult for them to address the problem of abortion outside what was considered to be proper or normal for the period. This means that as much as the medical profession shaped the discourse on abortion, it was also constrained by it.