Moysés Paciornik

Moysés Paciornik
Born	4 October 1914 Curitiba, PR
Died	26 December 2008 São Paulo, SP
Nationality	Brazilian
Fields	Obstetrics
Institutions	Paranaense Center for Medical Research
Known for	squatting birth, pap smear

Moysés Goldstein Paciornik (4 October 1914 - 26 December 2008) was a physician born in the city of Curitiba in the Paraná state of Brazil. He graduated in Medicine in 1938. In 1959 he founded the Paranaense Center for Medical Research, which he was director.^[1] The center was dedicated to the prevention of cancer and gynecological services extended to Indian reservations in southern Brazil, at which time Moysés became a supporter of squatting birth, noting that the Kaingang Indian tribe, despite having many children, had firmer vaginal muscles than city women.^[2]

He wrote several books and belonged to the Paraná Academy of Arts, to the Brazilian Academy of Medical Writers and was the pioneer of the pap smear screening test in Brazil. At the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), he founded the chair of Prenatal Care in 1952.

Moysés Paciornik died on December 26, 2008 of cardiac arrest and was buried on the 28th in Curitiba.^[3]

His son Claudio Paciornik carries on with his work.

Publications

• (with Claudio Paciornik) Birth in the Squatting Position (1979) Polymorph Films
• (with Claudio Paciornik) Birth and Rooming-In: Lessons Learned from the Forest Indians of Brazil Birth 1983 Summer;10(2):119.
• Commentary: arguments against episiotomy and in favor of squatting for birth. Birth 1990 Dec;17(4):234, 236. and Birth 1991 Jun;18(2):119.
• Use of the squatting position for birth. Birth 1992 Dec;19(4):230-1.

See also

• Childbirth positions
• Hugo Sabatino

References

1. ^ Statement of Health Merit Award by the Paraná legislative 9-8-2006
2. ^ Pioneer, a champion of women and healthy life. Life and Citizenship. 27-12-2008
3. ^ Death of physician who was famous in Brazil as an advocate of squatting births. G1 Globo News. 27-12-2008.

External links

• Paciornik Clinic
• Davis-Floyd R Changing Childbirth: The Latin American Example Midwifery Today, Volume #84, pp. 9-13, 64-65. Winter 2007

Persondata
Name	Paciornik, Moyses
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	4 October 1914
Place of birth	Curitiba, PR
Date of death	26 December 2008
Place of death	São Paulo, SP