History of Midwifery

Subject: Midwifery I (Theory)

Overview

The Ebers Papyrus, which dates from 1900 to 1550 BCE, attests to the fact that midwifery was a recognized female profession in ancient Egypt. The Westcar papyrus, which dates around 1700 BCE, contains guidelines for determining the anticipated date of confinement as well as descriptions of various types of birth seats. However, in the Roman West, grave epitaphs are primarily where we learn about practicing midwives. The first is that midwifery was not a field that freeborn women from families who had long enjoyed a free status were drawn to; as a result, it appears that the majority of midwives were of servile ancestry. Second, it is hypothesized that midwives were typically regarded enough and made enough money to be able to obtain their independence. This is because the majority of these burial epitaphs refer to the women as emancipated.

History of Midwifery

The Ebers Papyrus, which dates from 1900 to 1550 BCE, attests to the fact that midwifery was a recognized female profession in ancient Egypt. This papyrus has five columns devoted to obstetrics and gynecology, particularly the accelerated parturition and the newborn's birth prediction. The Westcar papyrus, which dates around 1700 BCE, contains guidelines for determining the anticipated date of confinement as well as descriptions of various types of birth seats. The extensive use of midwifery in this society is further attested to by bas reliefs found in the royal birth halls at Luxor and other temples.

However, in the Roman West, grave epitaphs are primarily where we learn about practicing midwives. Looking at a tiny sample of these epitaphs suggests two theories. The first is that midwifery was not a field that freeborn women from families who had long enjoyed a free status were drawn to; as a result, it appears that the majority of midwives were of servile ancestry. Second, it can be hypothesized that most of these burial epitaphs refer to the women as freed because midwives were typically esteemed and made enough money to be able to obtain their independence. These epitaphs do not reveal how specific slave women were chosen for midwifery instruction. Slave girls may have been apprenticed, and it is most likely that mothers taught their daughters.

Since the 18th century, there has been tension between surgeons and midwives as medical professionals have argued that their cutting-edge scientific methods are superior to midwives' traditional folk care for mothers and babies. "Physicians trained in the new century noticed a tremendous disparity between their obstetrics practice in hospitals and in women's homes where they could not maintain sterile conditions or have skilled aid," the article states. According to German social scientists Gunnar Heinsohn and Otto Steiger, the reason midwives were singled out for persecution and repression by the government was because they held highly specialized knowledge and abilities about contraception and abortion in addition to helping with births.

Midwives were already acknowledged as highly skilled and specialized experts in obstetrics by the late 20th century. However, the medical view of pregnancy and childbirth as potentially diseased and harmful still rules Western culture at the start of the twenty-first century. Although generally speaking they are trained to regard delivery as a normal and healthy procedure, midwives who work in hospital settings have also been influenced by this viewpoint. Even though the World Health Organization advocates a natural, normal, and humanized delivery, midwives still have a significant influence in the care of expectant mothers in Europe and Asia compared to America.

REFERENCE

Bennett, V.R.et al (ed), 1999, Myles textbook for midwifery, 13th edition, Churchill Livingstone. Harcourt Brace and a company limited.

Ghai, O.p. et al 2000. Ghai’s essential pediatrics. Fifth edition, Interprint. A-16, Naraina II, New Delhi

Jones, D.L., 1973, Fundamentals of obstetrics and gynecology Volume 1, Obstetrics, reprint first edition, Derek Llewellyn Jone, 1969.

Tuitui R. 2002, A textbook of Midwifery A (Antenatal), 3rd edition, Vidyarthi Pustak Bhandari (Publisher and Distributor), Bhotahity, Kathmandu
Things to remember
  • In ancient Egypt, midwifery was a recognized female occupation, as attested by the Ebers Papyrus which dates from 1900 to 1550 BCE.
  • The Westcar papyrus, dated to 1700 BCE, includes instructions for calculating the expected date of confinement and describes different styles of birth chairs.However, in the Roman West, our knowledge of practicing midwives comes mainly from funerary epitaphs.
  • The first is the midwifery was not a profession to which freeborn women of families that had enjoyed a free status of several generations were attracted; therefore it seems that most midwives were of servile origin.
  • Second, since most of these funeral epitaphs describe the women as freed, it can be proposed that midwives were generally valued enough, and earned enough income, to be able to gain their freedom.
  • At late 20th century, midwives were already recognized as highly trained and specialized professionals in obstetrics.
  • However, at the beginning of the 21st century, the medical perception of pregnancy and childbirth as potentially pathological and dangerous still dominates Western culture.
  • Midwives who work in hospital settings also have been influenced by this view, although by and large they are trained to view birth as a normal and healthy process.
Questions and Answers

The Ebers Papyrus, which dates from 1900 to 1550 BCE, attests to the fact that midwifery was a recognized female profession in ancient Egypt. This papyrus has five columns devoted to obstetrics and gynecology, particularly the accelerated parturition and the newborn's birth prediction. The Westcar papyrus, which dates to 1700 BCE, contains guidelines for determining the anticipated date of confinement as well as descriptions of various types of birth chairs. The extensive use of midwifery in this culture is also attested to by bas reliefs found in the royal birth rooms at Luxor and other temples.

However, in the Roman West, grave epitaphs are primarily where we learn about practicing midwives. Looking at a tiny sample of these epitaphs suggests two theories. The first is that most midwives appear to have been born into slave families because midwifery was not a vocation that attracted freeborn women from families who had long enjoyed free status. Second, it can be hypothesized that most of these burial epitaphs refer to the women as freed because midwives were typically esteemed and made enough money to be able to obtain their independence. These epitaphs do not reveal how specific slave women were chosen for midwifery training. Slave girls may have been apprenticed, and it is most likely that mothers taught their daughters.

Since the 18th century, there has been tension between surgeons and midwives as medical professionals have argued that their cutting-edge scientific methods are superior to midwives' traditional folk care for mothers and babies. "Physicians trained in the new century noticed a tremendous disparity between their obstetrics practice in hospitals and in women's homes where they could not maintain sterile conditions or have skilled aid," the article states. According to German social scientists Gunnar Heinsohn and Otto Steiger, the reason midwives were singled out for persecution and repression by the government was because they possessed highly specialized knowledge and skills regarding contraception and abortion in addition to helping with births.

Midwives were already acknowledged as highly skilled and specialized experts in obstetrics by the late 20th century. However, the medical view of pregnancy and childbirth as potentially diseased and harmful still rules Western culture at the start of the twenty-first century. Although generally speaking they are trained to regard delivery as a normal and healthy procedure, midwives who work in hospital settings have also been influenced by this viewpoint. Even though the World Health Organization recommends a natural, normal, and humanized birth, midwives still have a significant influence in the care of expectant mothers in Europe and Asia compared to America.

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