Rebecca Jackson
Science History Institute
Join us for this month’s virtual Science on Tap, where you’ll learn about the strange combo of best practices for managing birth in today’s hospitals: tracking cervical dilation in centimeters.
Cervical dilation is tracked in centimeters and is assessed manually (yes, measuring by hand!). Central to labor management is the use of a “partogram” chart to track the mother’s cervical dilation in centimeters over time, from 0 to 10 centimeters. At 10 centimeters, you’re ready to push.
The measurement of dilation is so central to labor management that it’s often used as a shorthand for labor progress itself: “You’re four centimeters along.” Yet, we measure dilation the same way today as we did 100 years ago, approximated by the human hand. If you’re wondering how it’s possible to accurately “feel” centimeters—and why we haven’t replaced this with some technology to do it more precisely—brace yourself.
APS fellow Rebecca Jackson will take you on a tour of the different instruments we’ve tried to make in the last century (mechanical, electromechanical, and electromagnetic devices, and even ultrasonic imaging) and why they failed. By the end, you’ll have a better idea of why the hand is still the best measuring tool.
This event is free, but registration is required.
About the Speaker
Rebecca Jackson is the John C. Slater Predoctoral Fellow at the American Philosophical Society and a PhD candidate in History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine at Indiana University Bloomington. Her dissertation titled “Measuring ‘Well’: Clinical Measuring Practices and Philosophy of Measurement” focuses on four cases of successful patient-centric and non-standard clinical measuring practices from the 19th century to current debates.
Her educational background includes a master’s in History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine, a graduate minor in Statistics, and a dual BA in Mathematics and Creative Writing. Her first publication on the history of the “drop” as a fluid unit in the 19th century is featured in the November 2021 issue of Perspectives on Science.
About the Series
Our Science on Tap monthly speaker series is now online! This monthly gathering features brief, informal presentations by Philadelphia-based scientists and other experts followed by lively conversation and a Q&A. The goal is to promote enthusiasm for science in a fun, spirited, and accessible way, while also meeting new people. Come join the conversation!