Posted by Jane Elizabeth on August 25, 1997 at 12:27:51:
In reply to A woman's worth posted by Elissa on August 22, 1997 at 17:01:05
We should remember that without birth control, many women spent much of their time being pregnant, giving birth, recovering from it, if they did recover. Within Austen's family, there were several instances of death due to childbirth. Even women who survived multiple births were often worn out at relatively young ages (witness Austen's sister-in-law, Fanny's mother). Granted, all this was far harder on women without the financial resurces to hire wetnurses, nurses, and governesses, but the physical toll, even on the wealthy, cannot be denied.
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