Sketch for a Phenomenology of Gestation

Abstract

Philosophy and phenomenology have barely paid attention to gestation and motherhood, and only recently this issue has been addressed, mainly due to the impulse of feminist philosophy. This paper aims to examine this field of human experience from a phenomenological perspective, in order to highlight some of its main features. The research is focused towards perceptions and feelings of pregnancy as a voluntary and conscious choice. Following a brief introduction, the paper analyses the ‘Leib’ of gestation and its peculiarities regarding body experience, among which the sensation of alienation and the patency of visceral stand out, together with the modification of the body scheme to integrate the fetus into it. Later, the paper discusses the perception of time, embedded in an attitude of active waiting. Thirdly, it inquiries about the modalities of encounter with otherness fostered by pregnancy, where the haptic dimension has great prominence. The final section gathers some ethical considerations related to the bond of care, hospitality, and dialogue between a pregnant subject and the fetus. The final conclusions summarize the research findings, emphasize the importance of this philosophical approach, and they also aim to settle the grounds for future research on the phenomenology of pregnancy.