When Chainsaws Helped With Childbirth: A Surprising History

The real origin of the chainsaw might be scarier than any horror movie.

Thinking About a Classic Horror Film

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is one of those movies that sticks with you long after it ends. Watching it recently got me curious about where chainsaws actually came from.

Not Just for Cutting Wood

Most people assume chainsaws were invented for sawing down trees. The truth is actually a little more disturbing. Their original purpose had nothing to do with logging. Leatherface may have actually been considered a prominent surgeon around the time of the invention of the chainsaw rather than a psychotic serial killer.

A Medical Tool for Childbirth

In the 1700s, two Scottish doctors created the first chainsaw to assist in childbirth. It was used to cut through bone and cartilage during difficult deliveries. The procedure was called a symphysiotomy.

Early Surgery Was Brutal

Doctors had limited options before modern surgical tools and C-sections. This small, hand-cranked chainsaw was seen as a way to make the process quicker. During this period nearly 1 in 100 pregnancies resulted in the mother dying during childbirth.

From Delivery Room to Lumber Yard

Over time, the chainsaw was adapted for use in cutting wood. Its medical origins were eventually left behind, but the history remains disturbing.

Fiction Can’t Compete with Reality

Leatherface may be a terrifying character, but he’s just a fictional character. The real-life use of chainsaws in childbirth is far more unsettling.

Sometimes, the scariest stories aren’t made up. Sometimes they’re real.