Tackling Knowledge and Reining Uncertainty through Risk Rituals in the Transition to Motherhood

Öz

This study uses a fresh approach to demonstrate how the transition to motherhood is culturally marked and why this is so. In-depth discussions with 30 female doctors in Ankara, the capital city of Turkey, revealed that awareness of risks to their health and social well-being shaped their pregnancy experience and led them to undertake various rituals to alleviate their anxiety and protect themselves and their babies from miscarriage, disability, and complications during childbirth. The doctors stated that they performed such rituals on the advice of their families, believing that doing so would not harm them or their babies but could be beneficial. The distinctive character of these rituals is that they are ritual responses and adaptations to the perceived hazards and uncertainties posed by the transition to motherhood. The new approach used in this study first identifies contemporary pregnancy risk rituals. Then, it shows that some of these have been adapted from traditional avoidance rituals to modern times. Finally, it identified those rites of passage and practices that may compel women to adopt self-limiting routines or accept taboos.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• risk rituals
• rites of passage
• risk
• avoidance
• uncertainty
• pregnancy
• motherhood

Anneliğe Geçiş Döneminde Bilgiyi ve Belirsizliği Risk Ritüelleriyle Dizginlemek

Öz

Bu araştırmada, anneliğin kültürel olarak özel bir yerde nasıl ve neden konumlandırıldığına dair yeni bir yaklaşım kullanılmaktadır. Türkiye’nin başkenti Ankara’da otuz hekim anneyle gerçekleştirilen derinlemesine mülakatlar, sağlıklarına ve sosyal refahlarına yönelik risklerin farkındalığının hekimlerin hamilelik deneyimlerini şekillendirdiğini, kaygılarını hafifletmek, kendilerini ve bebeklerini düşük, sakatlık ve doğum komplikasyonlarından korunmak için çeşitli ritüeller gerçekleştirmeye sevk ettiğini göstermektedir. Hekim anneler, ailelerinin tavsiyesi üzerine bu ritüelleri kendilerine ve bebeklerine zarar vermeyeceğine, faydalı olacağına inanarak uyguladıklarını ifade etmişlerdir. Bu ritüellerin ayırt edici özelliği, kadınların anneliğe geçiş döneminde algıladıkları tehlikeler ve belirsizlikler karşısında ayinsel tepkiler ve uyarlamalar olmalarıdır. Bu çalışmanın özgün yaklaşımı öncelikle risk ritüellerini tanımlar. Ardından bu ritüellerin bir bölümünün geleneksel kaçınma ritüellerinden modern zamanlara uyarlandığını göstermektedir. Son olarak, kadınları kendilerini sınırlayan rutinleri benimsemeye veya tabuları izlemeye zorlayabilen geçiş dönemi ritüel ve uygulamaları tespit edilmiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• risk ritüelleri
• geçiş dönemi ritüelleri
• kaçınma
• belirsizlik
• gebelik
• annelik

Kaynakça

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48. Interviews conducted: Dr. Aybala, an interview with the female general surgeon, born in 1986, took place on July 18, 2022, in Ankara, Türkiye.
49. Dr. Aylin, an interview with the female anesthesiologist, born in 1987, took place on June 24, 2022, in Ankara, Türkiye.
50. Dr. Aylin, interview with the female radiologist, born in 1990, took place on May 18, 2022, in Ankara, Türkiye.
51. Dr. Ayşe, an interview with the female obstetrician, born in 1993, occurred on May 16, 2022, in Ankara, Türkiye.
52. Dr. Aysel, an online interview with a female physiatrist born in 1986, took place on June 27, 2022.
53. Dr. Başak, an online interview with a female embryologist, born in 1985, took place on July 1, 2022.
54. Dr. Birgül, an interview with the female physical medicine and rehabilitation doctor born in 1984, took place on July 2, 2022, in Ankara, Türkiye.
55. Dr. Emine, an online interview with a female obstetrician, born in 1983, took place on June 22, 2022.
56. Dr. Esra, an online interview with a female doctor in emergency medicine, born in 1991, took place on June 2, 2022.
57. Dr. Fadime, an interview with the female general surgeon, born in 1983, took place on July 18, 2022, in Ankara, Türkiye.
58. Dr. Fatma, an interview with the female cardiologist, born in 1990, took place on June 25, 2022, in Ankara, Türkiye.
59. Dr. Fatma, an interview with the female doctor of internal medicine and endocrine, born in 1983, took place on July 2, 2022, in Ankara, Türkiye.
60. Dr. Fatma, an online interview with a female Doctor of Forensic Medicine, born in 1985, took place on June 27, 2022.
61. Dr. Gözde interview with the female physiatrist, born in 1990, took place on May 21, 2022, in Ankara, Türkiye.
62. Dr. Leyla, an interview with the female radiologist, born in 1980, took place on May 19, 2022, in Ankara, Türkiye.
63. Dr. Nevin, an interview with the female doctor of Forensic Medicine, born in 1986, took place on June 25, 2022 in Ankara, Türkiye.
64. Dr. Nilüfer interview with the female neurologist, born in 1994, took place on May 16, 2022, in Ankara, Türkiye.
65. Dr. Özden, an interview with the female doctor of internal medicine, born in 1983, took place on June 30, 2022, in Ankara, Türkiye.
66. Dr. Özge, an interview with the female doctor in physical medicine and rehabilitation, born in 1987, took place on May 21, 2022, in Ankara, Türkiye.
67. Dr. Özgür, an interview with the female Doctor of Emergency Medicine, born in 1989, took place on June 17, 2022, in Ankara, Türkiye.
68. Dr. Özlem, an online interview with a female neurologist born in 1979, took place on July 1, 2022.
69. Dr. Sanem, an interview with the female embryologist, born in 1988, took place on June 17, 2022 in Ankara, Türkiye.
70. Dr. Seda interview with the female anesthesiologist, born in 1991, took place on June 11, 2022, in Ankara, Türkiye.
71. Dr. Sevim, an interview with a female doctor of Emergency Medicine, born in 1984, took place on June 30, 2022 in Ankara, Türkiye.
72. Dr. Şule, an interview with the female doctor of internal medicine, born in 1985, took place on July 18, 2022 in Ankara, Türkiye.
73. Dr. Ülkü, an online interview with a female dermatologist, born in 1990, took place on June 2, 2022.
74. Dr. Yasemin, an interview with the female obstetrician born in 1981, took place on July 15, 2022 in Ankara, Türkiye.
75. Dr. Yeşim, interview with the female dermatologist, born in 1989, took place on May 27, 2022 in Ankara, Türkiye.
76. Dr. Yıldız, interview with the female doctor in pulmonology, born in 1989, took place on May 27, 2022 in Ankara, Türkiye.
77. Dr. Zahide, interview with the female cardiologist, born in 1990, took place on May 27, 2022, in Ankara, Türkiye.