In the New Testament, Genesis 1:28, the passage “Be Fruitful and Multiply,” has influenced people to have large families. According a Pew Research report in 2014, Christian families tend to have larger families than non-religious families. For example, Mormons had an average of 3.4 children, Catholic 2.1, and unaffiliated at 1.7. There is also the Christian movement called Quiverfull which shuns birth control and advocates for families to have large families—the most notable being the Duggar family and the show 19 Kids and Counting.

Culturally, pronatalism, or the belief for women should have more children, has shaped many political policies. For example, in 1910, President Theodore Roosevelt advocated that “The greatest of all curses is the curse of sterility, and the severest of all condemnations should be that visited upon willful sterility.” With many developed countries worrying about low birth rates, most notably Japan’s, many governments around the world have tried implementing policies to encourage more mothers to give birth.

Despite being a natural occurrence, childbirth was extremely dangerous for women for centuries. Lack of sanitation practices while delivering the child could lead to serious infections. Most doctors and midwives did not wash their hands before or during medical procedures, easily allowing germs to spread. Also, a lack of germ-theory was especially problematic if the mother needed to have a Cesarean section (C-section). Before modern medicine, a C-section was used as a last-ditch effort to save a child, and it was often a death sentence for the mother. Without proper anesthesia or antiseptics, women could not survive long with such a large incision. High percentage of infant mortality was also an issue. In ancient times, it was estimated that a child had a 50/50 chance of living. For years, lack of awareness regarding proper diet, or over-indulgence of alcohol, could lead to premature babies.

Fortunately, advances in germ theory and reproductive technologies—such as forceps, heart monitors, and ultrasounds—allow much safer deliveries and protection against sudden complications.    

Historically, domestic violence, such as physical abuse and rape, was treated as a family matter and not given public services or outlawed. Rape was a legal tool during slavery to oppress people and to increase people as property. Spousal or marital rape was legal until activism changed state laws in the 1980s and 1990s. Overall, sexual violence has received more funding and support since the Violence Against Women Act (1994) was passed.

Sexual violence includes crimes such as sexual assault and abuse such as forcible touching and rape and is expected in the US. Over half of US women report sexual violence (e.g., forcible sexual contact) over their lifetime, mostly by people they know. Sexual violence includes reproductive violence acts such as coercing sex or pregnancy. About 3 million women in the US have experienced rape-related pregnancies.