Childbirth and Obstetrics in Antiquity - Caesarian Sections

Caesarian Sections

The word “caesarian” possibly derives from the ancient Roman ruler Julius Caesar, because it was believed that Caesar was delivered through this procedure. However, this is probably based more on tradition and myth than historical accuracies. Another possibility for the etymology of the word “caesarian” is the Latin word caedere, meaning “to cut”.

This practice is probably much older than Julius Caesar, but "C-sections", as performed by the Romans, were done to rescue the baby from a dying or already dead mother, and were performed post-mortem.

Evidence suggests that Jews in ancient Rome successfully practiced C-sections on living mothers who were not in danger of dying. Evidence of these procedures is found in several collections of ancient Roman Rabbis, the most famous of which is called the Mishnah.

Greeks and Egyptians did not perform C-sections, either post-mortem or on living mothers. However, Greeks would have had at least some knowledge of the caesarian operation and the procedure involved. The Greek god Aesclepius was fabled to have been extracted from his mother’s womb through this procedure.

Other than the evidence of Jews practicing C-sections in antiquity (very little in ancient Rome, even less in ancient Greece), not much more evidence exists regarding caesarian-operation birth. One reason could have been that C-sections were not performed very often because of medical complications or superstitions surrounding C-sections.

In early Christian Rome, C-sections were almost non-existent. Loss of skill is a possibility for the lack of C-sections. Infant mortality rates were high in antiquity, so C-sections certainly could have been useful. However, early Christian doctors could have disregarded C-sections as a socially acceptable surgery because of religious beliefs.

The lack of education for women (who would have been the most knowledgeable about childbirth procedures) and the social norm that women remained in the private sphere of life (as opposed to public) is theorized to also have contributed to a shortage of C-sections. Midwives were the primary persons involved in the childbirth process. Midwives were women, and in ancient Greece and Rome were not considered actually physicians. They did not record their medical practices in writing like Soranus or Galen. Thus, C-sections could have potentially occurred on a fairly regular basis, accounts were simply not recorded.

Disease, a perceived need for secrecy, and social discouragement could also have been factors that lead to the decline in C-sections among early Christians in Rome. Almost no evidence exists for C-sections in the Christian world until the 10th century.