This silent film from 1948 “The Creation of Life” briefly demonstrates how a fetus forms and graphically shows different types of births. It was made by Sherwood Picture Corp., and may have been sold both to schools and professional organizations for medical education, and to the public for shock value. (Several similar birth films were sold in this era through home catalogs and photography shops.) Summary: By means of diagrams, conceptions and pregnancy are explained. Views of various methods of delivery are shown. Created by: T. Marc Sherwood.

The word, “Introduction” (0:21). A quote from Joaquin Miller about childbirth (0:25). Drawing of a sperm and ovum (0:38). Diagram of the sperm cell (0:41). Diagram of the ovum (0:46). Diagram of female genitalia (0:55). Drawing a sperm approaching the mature ovum (1:02). Drawing of the penetration of the ovum (1:10). Drawing of the formation of the male nucleus (1:13). Drawing of polar bodies nucleus (1:18). Drawing of polar bodies and the male nucleus approaching the female nucleus (1:22). Drawing of segmentation, cell division (1:33). Drawing of cell division (1:37). Drawing of blastulation (1:49). Drawing of gastrulation (1:54). Drawing of a two week old embryo (2:01). Drawing of a four week old embryo (2:06). Drawing of a fetus (2:13). Drawing of a full term baby (2:19). Text reading, “Normal Delivery” (2:25). Woman has her feet up with a curtain in front of her (2:29). Text reading, “The labor pains coming every two minutes with the rectal bulging visible at this time as the fetal head presses on the rectum (2:43). Graphic image of female vagina and rectum (2:53). Baby head coming out of the vagina (2:57). Doctor pulls the baby out of the vagina (3:07). Text reading, “Expulsion of placenta” (3:13). Placenta being birthed from a woman’s vagina and the doctor uses his hand to assist in its removal (3:19). Placenta is placed in a bowl (3:45). Text reading, “Cesarean Delivery” (3:48). Text reading, “120 mg. of spinal novocaine used in this case with complete relaxation” (3:51). Shot is put in a woman’s back (3:56). Text reading, “The Incision” (4:05). Doctors cut an incision in a woman’s stomach (4:08). Text reading, “Penetrating through the abdominal layers with exposure of the uterus” (4:19). Incision made into a woman’s abdominal layers by surgeons (4:24). Sheet put over the woman’s abdominal layers (4:50). A sheet with an incision is placed over the cut into the woman’s abdominal layers (4:52). Text reading, “Opening the uterus with immediate removal of the infant to prevent asphyxia” (5:24). The uterus is cut and the infant is removed by the surgeon’s hand head first (5:30). Text reading, “Removal of the Placenta” (6:03). Surgeons use medical instruments to remove the placenta from the uterus (6:09). Text reading, closure of the uterus and abdominal layers (6:22). Doctor sewed up abdominal layers (6:29). Text reading, “Forceps Delivery” (8:16). Doctor puts hand up a woman’s vagina (8:21). Text reading, “Catheterization of patient to relieve tension as fetal head passes” (8:33). Doctor inserts a flexible tube called a catheter up the woman’s vagina (8:42). Text reading, “Using 5cc. Of a 1% solution of novocaine a left medio-lateral episiotomy is performed” (8:55). A novocaine is inserted next to the woman’s vagina while blood leaks out of it (9:03). Text reading, “Application of ‘low forceps’ under general anesthesia (9:16). The woman’s vagina is opened up widely and the doctor pulls out the baby (9:59). Text reading, “Repair of episiotomy using chromic No.2 suture for internal layers and black silk for the skin (10:02). The vagina is stitched back together (10:10). Text reading, “Twins by Breech” (10:48). Text reading, “Presenting part of an infant in this case is “scrotum” (10:55). Doctor sticks hand up a woman’s vagina (10:59). Text reading, “Right medio-lateral episiotomy to facilitate delivery of the breech (11:19). Text reading, “Delivery of first twin…a male” (11:30). Baby is pulled out of the mother’s feet first (11:41). Text reading, “Delivery of second twin…a female” (12:34). Female baby is born feet first (13:02). Text reading, “Expulsion of placenta. In this case the placenta is attached by two cords’ ‘ (13:22). The placenta is taken out of the mother (13:33).

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