Saving the Child: Regional, Cultural and Social Aspects of the Infant Mortality Decline in Iceland, 1770-1920

During the first half of the nineteenth century, infant morality in Iceland was considerably higher than in most other European counties. In fact, levels of infant mortality on this European periphery were comparable only with a few regions in central and northern Europe, all known for a tradition of artificial feeding of newborns or weaning in the first weeks of life. Iceland was not only unique for its high levels of infant mortality. The pace of decline, which came in the late nineteenth century, was even more striking. Thus, by the beginning of the twentieth century, infant survival in Iceland ranked among the best in the world. This book narrates the story of the struggle for improving survival chances for Icelandic children. It focuses mainly on the agents of change - most important of whom were the local midwives.