March
10
/ 2021
In the Middle Ages, pregnant women allegedly wore a type of specially prepared wrap known as a birthing girdle. Birthing girdles were long, thin, rolls made from animal skin parchment. They were imprinted with religious symbols and iconic imagery, and inscribed with prayers to Christ, the Virgin Mary, and various saints associated with childbirth and motherhood. These girdles had no obvious medical function. But they were believed to possess the power to protect the health of both mother and child throughout pregnancy, and perhaps even during the birthing process. How Modern-day Scientists Examined One Birthing Girdle In order to learn more about this practice, a team of scientists led by Sarah Fiddyment, a postdoctoral researcher from the McDonald Institute for
