Guest Lecture: Medical Anthropology and the Cultural Complexities of Reproduction

Question 1

Medical Anthropology

Answer 1

Study of the cultural nature of health, wellness, illness, and medicine

Question 2

Examples of Medical Anthropology

Answer 2

• Syndemic Research
• Cultural Competency
• Vaccine hesitancy

Question 3

Syndemic research

Answer 3

Two or more concurrent diseases that increase the burden of the disease. Ex. SAVA (substance abuse, violence, and HIV/AIDS)

Question 4

Reproduction

Answer 4

“encompasses events throughout the human and especially female life-cycle related to ideas and practices surrounding fertility, birth, and childcare, including the ways in which these figure into understandings of social and cultural renewal

Question 5

Average maternal age

Answer 5

First time mothers (1957): 21.5 years old
First time mothers (2019): 29.6 years old

Question 6

Types of reproduction

Answer 6

• Cultural norm of Nuclear family
• Cultural norm of sexual intercourse
• Assisted reproductive technologies
• Surrogacy
• Adoption

Question 7

Positionality

Answer 7

Refers to the how the differences in social position and power shape identities and access in society (ex. Older, white, queer, childless, etx)

Question 8

Queer Family structure

Answer 8

• Reproduction and gender roles
• Creating “families that work”