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Defending biomedical authority and regulating the womb as social space. Prenatal testing in the Polish press

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Kramer, Anne-Marie Caroline. (2010) Defending biomedical authority and regulating the womb as social space. Prenatal testing in the Polish press. European Journal of Women's Studies, Vol.17 (No.1). pp. 43-59. ISSN 1350-5068

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1350506809350860

Abstract

The issue of abortion has been the topic of heated and frequent debate in post-Communist Poland. Parliamentary debate in 1998—9 centred around a legislative attempt to restrict prenatal testing, specifically amniocentesis, in order to further reduce the numbers of abortions carried out, as it was argued to inevitably result in the termination of pregnancy. Medical professionals are rarely visible as subjects of and authorities on the abortion debate in the Polish context. However, in this debate around prenatal testing, the medical community appear as key commentators and meaning-makers. This article asks the following questions: What role do the medical profession and biomedical knowledge play in the debate around prenatal testing, when abortion is highly politicized? Second, what social meanings and consequences are attributed to prenatal testing? How do these construct the relationship between foetus, pregnant woman and doctor, and what agency and 'rights' are attributed to women in the process of prenatal testing?

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman R Medicine > RG Gynecology and obstetrics
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Sociology
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Human reproduction -- Political aspects -- Poland, Prenatal diagnosis -- Poland, Amniocentesis -- Poland, Abortion -- Law and legislation -- Poland, Prenatal diagnosis -- Social aspects
Journal or Publication Title:	European Journal of Women's Studies
Publisher:	Sage Publications Ltd.
ISSN:	1350-5068
Date:	February 2010
Volume:	Vol.17
Number:	No.1
Page Range:	pp. 43-59
Identification Number:	10.1177/1350506809350860
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access
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URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/2972