Joseon Ironworks (3)

In the twenty-first century, mothers almost never die during childbirth.

They say the death rate is about one in 100,000, which means that unless someone is extraordinarily unlucky, dying while giving birth is practically unheard of.

In Joseon, however, it is said that the chance of a mother dying during childbirth exceeds 10 percent.

Thanks to the improvements I made to hygiene, Winter’s odds of dying would be far lower than that...

So I hurried home, took hold of the servant girls assisting with the birth, and made them thoroughly check the preparations and repeat the precautions they had to observe.

“Before assisting with the birth, wash your entire bodies with water and lye right now, then change into clean clothes that have been boiled thoroughly in lye! A mother’s and a child’s bodies suffer many wounds during childbirth, and if dirt gets into them, both their lives may be in danger.”

“We have already washed ourselves with water and changed into clean clothes, but...”

“They say forewarned is forearmed. Only by preparing as thoroughly as possible can you safely get through a serious event when it occurs. If something bad happens while you are delivering the baby because you failed to observe the cleanliness I ordered, you will answer for it.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Thanks to my constant emphasis on hygiene, the custom of bathing has apparently been gradually taking root among the people not only in Hanyang but throughout all eight provinces...