Porn, Hanna (1860–1913)

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Porn, Hanna (1860–1913)

Finnish midwife. Born Hanna Kuniholm, Nov 11, 1860, in Mustari, Finland; died July 8, 1913; dau. of Eva and Adam Kuniholm; m. Edward Porn (died before 1895).

Joined brother in Gardner, Massachusetts (1895); received a midwifery diploma from Chicago Midwife Institute (1896); worked almost entirely with immigrant mothers from Sweden, Finland and Russia; registered 642 births in 11 years of practice; though the physician-guided births in Gardner exhibited a higher infant mortality rate than those she delivered, was repeatedly convicted of illegally practicing medicine (since the Medical Practice Act of 1901 in Massachusetts had no clause that officially permitted midwives to perform births); was imprisoned for 3 months for continuing to deliver babies.

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