Researchers:  Prof Mary E. Daly ,  Prof Greta Jones ,  Dr Leanne McCormick

This project explores issues surrounding maternal health in Ireland from 1870 to 1970, with particular focus on female advantage, which was the lowest in Europe. It examines the role of the Irish medical profession north and south of the border, in the dissemination of contraceptive advice and explores the impact different legislative and religious frameworks had upon the practices and policies pursued by medical professionals, individuals and families. Did medical provisions and interventions bring about an improvement in this female advantage or were non-medical actors of greater significance? What cultural contexts facilitated the acceptance and rejection of particular medical and non-medical interventions? A key aspect of this project is the collection of oral history testimony, north and south.