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In this paper I draw attention to the happening of childbirth among the Guarani-Mbyá women. I highlight the centrality of a care language in the act of birth and of being born supported by the production of human bodies and kin. From Yva deliveries’ stories I explore the connection between silences, bodies and human and non-human socialities by interweaving it with native modes of care and a critical analysis of the medicalization of birth derived from the relationship with the “Juruá (“white”) system”. I emphasize a non-reductive understanding of life and health in the translation of epistelomogies of care between indigenous and biomedical sociocosmologies. The data presented are results from a long-term ethnographic research carried out among guarani-mbyá collectives of the southern Brazil. Resumo Neste artigo abordo o acontecimento de parto entre guarani-mbyá mulheres. Mostro a centralidade de um idioma do cuidado no ato de parir e fazer nascer, sustentado pela produção de corpos humanos e de parentes. A partir das histórias de parto de Yva, exploro as conexões entre silêncios, corpos e socialidades humanas e não humanas, entrelaçando-as com modos nativos de cuidar e uma problematização da medicalização do parto advinda da relação com o “sistema do Juruá (“Brancos”)”. Enfatizo, em particular, uma irredutibilidade dos entendimentos de vida e saúde na tradução de epistemologias de cuidado entre sociocosmologias indígenas e biomédicas. Os dados apresentados são fruto de um estudo de cunho etnográfico de longa duração entre coletivos guarani-mbyá do Brasil Meridional.

Objective: To critically analyse the Australian Defence Force (ADF) policy on maternal health care: Health Directive No 235 – Management of pregnant members in the Australian Defence Force. Method: Bacchi's ‘What's the problem represented to be’ framework was used to analyse Health Directive No 235. This paper critically examines the representation of pregnancy and birth, the resulting effects and considers alternate representations. Results: The ADF's policy on maternal healthcare considers pregnancy as a health issue that requires specialist intervention and care, also known as the medicalisation of birth. Current research emphasises women-centred care; a model of care not contained in the ADF policy. Conclusion: The problematisation of pregnancy in the ADF restricts women's choices regarding their maternal healthcare provider. This is contrary to the healthcare rights of Australians and likely contributes to health inequalities of ADF women. Implications for public health: A research gap regarding ADF women's knowledge and wishes regarding their maternal health care has been identified. Future research can inform any alterations to the ADF policy on maternal healthcare.