Origin of Everything

Why Do Women Give Birth Lying Down? (2017x11)

Air date: Nov 14, 2017

When it comes to giving birth, the first image that comes to mind is a woman lying down on her back, but this wasn’t always the case. In fact the origin of the position we now most associate with women giving birth started as a procedure to remove gall stones in 18th century France. So how did this position become the gold standard for bringing newborns into the world? Watch the episode to find out.