From September 16 to 19, 2025, the international Medical Anthropology Europe Conference took place at the University of Vienna, bringing together researchers from around the world. Over four days, the event provided spaces for debate and collective reflection on the contemporary redefinitions of health and well-being, with the aim of critically considering the possibilities and impossibilities of health today, as well as the role of medical anthropology in a global context. Research from the AFIN group was present in several panels, with contributions addressing issues related to reproductive health, the temporalities of motherhood, and the impact of new technologies in clinical settings.
In the panel “Intersecting frontiers: towards understanding intersections among climate change, culture, gender, and health in the Anthropocene”, organized by Sadiq Bhanbhro and Inayat Ali, Ana Cerezuela, PhD candidate in Social Anthropology with the AFIN group, presented, in co-authorship with Anna Molas and Helena Montasell, the paper “Making future in a changing climate: Maternal experiences of environmental risk and strategies for sustaining life in Barcelona”. This presentation shared results from the project Viure l’embaràs a Barcelona: dones i persones gestants davant l’emergència climàtica, exploring the perceptions and strategies of 35 pregnant or breastfeeding women in Barcelona regarding environmental risks linked to climate change and pollution and their impact on reproductive health in urban contexts.
The panel “Redefining Reproductive Temporalities: Bodies, Gender, Care, and Contestations in Health and Well-Being”, coordinated by Falia Varelaki, Alessandra Brigo, and Manon M. S. Vialle, brought together research on the temporalities of reproductive life. In this context, Diana Marre, Professor and PhD in Social Anthropology and director of the AFIN group, presented, together with Hugo Gaggiotti, the paper “Advanced Maternal Age: Reproductive Temporalities in Spain and UK”. Their presentation explored the tensions faced by women who postpone motherhood in Spain and the United Kingdom, analyzing the intersection between career trajectories, neoliberal welfare regimes, and biomedical norms that define advanced maternal age as a risk factor.
Finally, in the panel “The uterus: knowledges, practices, imaginaries”, organized by Leah Eades and Marie de Lutz, Paula Martone, PhD candidate in Social Anthropology with the AFIN research group, presented, in co-authorship with Anna Molas, the paper “Just like a real uterus? Insights from health professionals and parents on the promises of the Artificial Placenta”. Their presentation explored the perceptions of health professionals, parents, and project promoters regarding the artificial placenta, highlighting tensions between technological innovation and concerns about emotional bonding, reproductive autonomy, and equitable access.