Hagstone

I went to the wellcome collection to visit their exhibition on ‘Birth, life and death’ which was humbling and fascinating to behold. I was struck by the 10 metre long 12th century birthing scroll, full of prayers and charms as protection against death in battle and in labour. Scientists discovered traces of blood and vaginal secretion that bore evidence of how it was worn across the body in labour to act as a charm against death.

The absolute fear and terror in labour and pregnancy is beyond comprehension. I thought of the desperation, the pleas and the chants for all to go well during those fraught moments.

It breaks my heart how women’s reproductive health was so tenuous. Even now so much gynaecology is still just ambiguous as it was then.