Description
There was a time when the average American woman was more likely
to die from childbirth than from any other condition except tuberculosis.
This was especially true in areas where hospitals and quality medical
care were scarce or nonexistent. But deep in the rolling hills
of eastern Kentucky’s Cumberland Range, one woman almost
single-handedly changed those dismal figures. Her name was Mary
Breckinridge, and her goal was to introduce quality, professionally
trained midwifery to the United States. The Frontier Nursing Service,
opened in 1925 in Leslie County, Kentucky, set out to meet the
health needs of women and infants in one of the poorest regions
of America.
This book tells the story of Breckinridge’s unparalleled
dedication to midwifery and provides a historical overview of the
first 40 years of the Frontier Nursing Service. The story is told
in human terms, focusing on how such a successful organization
was built out of commitment and compassion against all odds. It
covers dozens of midwife cases, examining the fascinating interaction
between the local residents and the brave nurse-midwives who rode
first on horseback, later in Jeeps and other forms of transport,
to improve the lives of eastern Kentucky families and to reverse
the highest infant mortality rate in the country.
