Female serial killers in the early modern age? Recurrent infanticide in Finland 1750–1896

Changes in the gendered nature of homicides: Comparing 20th- and 21st-century Finland

“…According to Verkko (1951), filicides in Finland were associated with shame and the fear of being judged by the community. In a study examining Finnish court files in 1750–1896, Rautelin (2013) argues that a few female serial killers resorted to killing several of their illegitimate babies as a birth control solution. However, in the early 20th century it was common for unmarried pregnant women to be forced to live in poverty, and our findings suggest that the most common motive was indeed related to the economic distress caused by the child.…”

Bitter Fruits of “A Merry Life?” Survival Chances of Children Born Out of Wedlock in Nineteenth-century Rural Estonia

“…Infanticide is a crime in which a mother kills or causes the death of her infant within 24 hours of an unassisted delivery, usually immediately after the birth. 54 The view that there was a sizable incidence of infanticide in Helme and Holstre is supported by the fact that, for example, in Tartu County, the rate of stillbirths among illegitimate versus legitimate children differed far less, and in some decades, the figures were almost similar. 55 In Northern Estonia, the overall rate of stillbirths fluctuated between 3.3 and 4.3 percent from 1834 to 1858.…”

Legal Technicalities in the Discourse of Power: Honor and Sexual Morality in Infanticide Rulings (Buenos Aires Province, 1887-1921)

“…Asimismo, señaló que el infanticidio era una práctica escogida por las mujeres de los sectores más vulnerables de la población, principalmente de las mujeres negras. Recientemente, Mona Rautelin 14 , a la luz del caso finlandés, propuso considerar al infanticidio como una problemática propia de los siglos XVIII y XIX, sosteniendo que se trató de una práctica anticonceptiva y de control de la natalidad.…”