数年前の話。主婦のユイは夫と義母と同居している。義母はユイに妊娠を願っており、妊婦健診や分娩について厳しい指示を出す。分娩できる病院は2つあり、A産婦人科は女医多めで10分の距離、B総合病院は20分。義母は男性医師を拒否し、女性医師を希望している。ユイは義母の考えに驚き、プロの医師への尊重が必要だと感じる。妊娠や出産は命がけで、赤ちゃんの健康に関わることを考えさせられる。【続く】。
This is a story from a few years ago. I am Yui, a mid-30s housewife living in the countryside. I live with my husband Naohiko and mother-in-law. Marrying Naohiko required living with my mother-in-law, who had lost her husband and relied on Naohiko. I was initially hesitant, having lost my own parents and siblings, and being economically unstable due to years of caregiving. However, I decided to accept living together with determination because Naohiko, who had embraced me so lovingly, was someone I desperately wanted to marry.
My mother-in-law was even more delighted than Naohiko. Not just happy, but almost in a state of excitement. She was constantly talking about childbirth and babies, which, although pleasant, led to her giving strong and insistent instructions about prenatal checkups and delivery.
There are two hospitals nearby where I could give birth. One is the long-established A Maternity and Gynecology Clinic, a relatively large maternity hospital with several obstetricians. They are known to have many female doctors. It is about a 10-minute drive from home, and walking distance is also possible. The other option is the Maternity and Gynecology Department of B General Hospital. This is a larger hospital that serves as the medical center of the region, about a 20-minute drive away, which is still a manageable distance.
I was shocked and stood frozen in the moment. While it’s true that A Maternity and Gynecology Clinic has many female doctors, there are also male doctors. What if only a male doctor is available? What does she plan to do then?
“I’ll mention that you’d prefer to be seen by a female doctor, but there are also male doctors, and the hospital’s schedule to consider. Things might not go exactly as you wish…” “Absolutely not a male doctor; it’s inappropriate!” I was astonished by my mother-in-law’s mindset.
To see a male obstetrician in that light… Frankly, it’s unsettling. While maternity doctors face pregnancy and childbirth head-on daily as professionals, to have someone see them in such a way is disturbing. Labor pains can occur at any time, and we never know what emergencies may arise during pregnancy. Even in the Reiwa era, pregnancy and childbirth are life-threatening. To say such things that could potentially affect the life and health of a baby, what on earth is my mother-in-law thinking?
To be continued in “Episode 2.”
Original concept: Mama Star Community Script: Sakura Oshima Illustrations: Yoshihana Editing: Moe Tsukada