How did pioneer women survive childbirth?

According to the data we have from the past, the pre-modern-medicine rate of death in childbirth was perhaps 1–2% per birth, and 4% over the course of a lifetime. Meaning less than 5% of women would ultimately die in childbirth. read more

Many women did die in those days, but I am not sure if it was always from childbirth. Children died much more frequently as well. It was common if you look at some of the census records, where a family would have nine children and three of them were living. read more

Childbirth in much of human history has been a class act. The upper classes were encouraged to reproduce as much as possible, and a woman who was pregnant or recovering from childbirth took time to rest while servants took care of her and the child. The lower classes worked right up to and soon following birth, as they had to work to eat. read more