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The Temple to Ninmakh to the east of Ishtar Gate in ancient Babylon. Source: CC BY-SA 4.0

Babylon’s Temple of Ninmakh, the Mesopotamian Goddess of Humankind

One of the great temples constructed during the Neo-Babylonian period (626-539 BC), the golden age of the city of Babylon, was the Temple of Ninmakh. The temple was built adjacent to the famous...
The teenage girl, who was not more than 17 years old, was buried alongside the decapitated baby in a tomb. This led experts to speculate that she might have been unaware of her pregnancy with twins. Right; Rradiograph of mummified fetus found lodged within the teenage girl’s pelvis.  Source: Francine Margolis, David R. Hunt/onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Teenage Mummy Found with Fetus Trapped in Her Pelvis Shows Harsh Reality of Childbirth

The full tragic story revealed by mummified remains of a female teenage mummy of just 14-17 years old, who died during childbirth, has been discovered by archaeologists in Egypt. What makes the find...
A Chinese physician with a pregnant woman. Wellcome collection / CC by SA 4.0.  By

Weirdest Ancient Chinese Pregnancy and Birth Traditions (Video)

In ancient China, pregnancy and childbirth were influenced by traditions and superstitions. The Chinese valued the balance of Yin and Yang , representing feminine darkness and masculine brightness...
Pregnancy in ancient Greece was a difficult time. Source: migfoto / Adobe Stock.

The Sad Truth About Pregnancy in Ancient Greece (Video)

In ancient Greece, pregnancy was far from the experience we know today. The era was marked by perilous uncertainty for expectant mothers and their unborn children. The duty of women was clear:...
The diagnostic methods and treatments in the Trotula are based on the theories of Claudius Galen and Hippocrates, shown in this 12th century mural from Anagni in Italy.

Medieval Attitudes to Women’s Medical Conditions Found in The Trotula

The Trotula is a very well-known 12 th century text, originally written for male medical practitioners treating gynecological or obstetrical issues, which reveals a great deal about how people...
Images of the MS. 632 birthing girdle. a) The dripping side-wound. b) The rubbed away green cross or crucifix. c) Tau cross with red heart and shield.  Source: Courtesy of the Wellcome Collection

New Birthing Girdle Study Answers Questions About Medieval Childbirth

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...
Fertility goddesses can be found in all cultures and times. Source: zolotareva_elina /Adobe Stock

Praying For Life – Top 10 Ancient Fertility Goddesses

Throughout the ancient history of the world, polytheism - commonly known as paganism or heathenism - was the defining aspect of all societies and civilizations. Our ancestors had complex and...
Birth rates are lowest in many countries on Christmas Day.    Source: blackday / Adobe Stock

Why are so few people born on Christmas Day?

Jay L. Zagorsky / The Conversation Christmas and New Year’s are days of celebration in many parts of the world when people gather with family and friends. One thing many typically don’t celebrate on...
Birth of Esau and Jacob (public domain)

Birthing Trauma Comes from Two Million Years of Walking Upright

Birthing a human child is always painful and can be a drawn-out process threatening the lives of both mother and baby. The ordeal sometimes even lasts for days. However, chimps have a much easier job...
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced the birth of a son today. Source: CC BY 2.0

The Horrific History Of Birthing Royal Babies, And Why Meghan Markle Should Be Grateful

Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry Instagrammed the world on Monday confirming the royal birth of a 7lbs-3oz baby boy who is seventh in line to the throne. When a royal baby is...
Anne Greene was condemned to death by hanging.

Anne Greene, The Accused Baby Killer Who Refused to Die

Anne Greene was a woman who lived in England during the 17th century. She is notable for having survived her own execution . This was hailed as an act of God and Anne was pardoned. After her failed...
The remains of the Egyptian woman with her unborn child

A Mother, With Her Unborn Child Inside Her Womb, Surface in Egypt After 3,500 Years

Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities have announced that archaeologists have uncovered in Aswan, Egypt, the skeletal remains of a woman who died towards the end of her pregnancy, still holding the...
Chalchiuhtlicue final model.

Navigating the Realm of an Aztec Water Goddess and One of the Five Suns

The Aztecs placed an array of important life elements in the hands of Chalchiuhtlicue. She was primarily a goddess of freshwater, thus her domain included lakes, rivers, and streams. But she also...
Researchers said the bones of this woman's twin fetuses are visible near her pelvis and thighs

A 7,700-Year-Old Case of Death During Childbirth in Siberia

If childbirth is still today one of the most dangerous things a woman can do, imagine how dangerous it was 7,700 years ago, before modern medicine. The remains of a Stone Age Siberian mother and her...