---
title: Call the Midwives—Assuming Any Are Left
date: 2025-08-08T10:13:00-04:00
author: Jonese Austin
canonical_url: "https://ourbodiesourselves.org/health-info/call-the-midwives-assuming-any-are-left"
section: Resources
---
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[Health & Sexuality Info](/health-info)# Call the Midwives—Assuming Any Are Left

While both the US and the UK had similar rates of midwife-attended births in the nineteenth century, they soon moved in opposite directions. In this article, Ellie Rose Mattoon traces the historical factors that contributed to the diverging paths of midwifery care in the US and the UK.

Prior to the development of the field of obstetrics and gynecology, midwives were the primary providers of maternal care. As the number of white male doctors and their technology grew, this began to shift. Doctors competed with midwives, blaming them for maternal mortality. In the US, they used racist and xenophobic stereotypes to discredit the many midwives who were European immigrants and women of color.

In this climate, both the US and the UK began to require midwives to undergo training and get specific credentials. The UK passed the Midwives Act of 1902 despite some pushback, and began the process of certifying midwives. Despite the new obstacles, the presence and role of midwives continued to expand. However, today, midwives are in decline in the UK, citing concerns about understaffing and care quality.

In the US, the 1921 Sheppard-Towner Act likewise aimed to train and certify midwives. But there were different consequences given the racial and ethnic demographics of midwives in the US. Programs excluded midwives who were immigrants and women of color, while penalizing those same women for not complying. The stigmas around cultural and traditional methods of healing increased. These developments drastically affected the number of midwives available, and women turned to hospitals for their maternal care. Currently, there is a growing movement to return to midwives for maternal care, especially in communities of color.

> Around 1910, the rate of midwife-attended deliveries was the same in the UK and US, at approximately half of all births. But the declining birth-rate among the upper-class meant that increasingly such families could afford doctors rather than midwives for their deliveries. Moreover, the increasing use by physicians of “twilight anesthesia”—a combination of morphine and scopolamine—promised mothers a less painful labor than what midwives could offer. This reality challenged the practice of midwifery in both countries.

[Read the full article ](https://daily.jstor.org/call-the-midwives-assuming-any-are-left/)

SOURCE: JSTOR Daily • AUTHOR: Ellie Rose Mattoon • LAST UPDATED: November 6, 2024

![A large group of Black women midwives stand outside of a courthouse](data:image/png;base64,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)"Group of lay midwives at county meeting in front of county court house, Canton, Mississippi, 1920s" Caroline H. Benoist Collection, A Project of the Eleanor Crowder Bjoring Center for Nursing Historical Inquiry

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- [ pregnancy & birth](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/subject-area/pregnancy-birth)
- [ birth care providers](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/themes/birth-care-providers)
- [women's health history](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/tags/womens-health-history)
- [midwife](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/tags/midwife)
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- [international](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/tags/international)

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##### More to Explore

[ResourcesListen

## Love and Labor: The History of African American Birth Care Providers

This podcast episode from Sexing History explores the history of advocacy of Black doulas, midwives, and other birth attendants.

![all-my-babiesa-midwifes-own-story-a9802b-1024](data:image/png;base64,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)

This podcast episode from Sexing History explores the history of advocacy of Black doulas, midwives, and other birth attendants.](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/health-info/love-and-labor-the-history-of-african-american-birth-care-providers)

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## The Historical Significance of Black Doulas and Midwives

This blog post, from the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, celebrates the unsung work of African American birth workers, including doulas and midwives.

![Siloam greene county ga vicinity midwife going on a call carrying her kit d977bf 1024 e1687465869116 jpg](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACAAAAAgCAIAAAD8GO2jAAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAADsUlEQVRIiW1WW3LkOAwDQPX9DzU/uxdKP2IS80FJtjPppFxdbZsgIPDB//7/Q5KkJEkREVLEmN8UkkiRBPofNmDYOP/Wh5xXop+FANiGva/9+r7M13cQz8stui+wcEfsO8NVIAuQXTZ9/2Bedo4T15h3NsCFR5PpX0ZWEaS4OO6PyEIRoqpM0S0PO3GfiXpjk6BhgrYJGiMzAahoyRENTZJMTiHZopIdmiv3reipXb9BzlcJjOM4AIhUROyn+7DAKbZEeoKdoX8w8DperpQAYnx/fwOQqKqKOJPq0BFh0D5ddMl9Yey0NoMFA4zP5wNAUihrDFddXRiGw6og2bQ64C+muwHwZPB+v0lKlGJU1RjlS5CALGkzuAKcVvt5ABehGgBdYpVZVWd2ZdtRQZWoCwO7+ua2qi9V1mznQY/X60WiS/jxyKxyzdAeLruipLgzsO2qGwXAK+ufAE+QIcUYmY/Hozr1BeGqkqrf8g2gJktMCG4/q4OTxHg+nySlGGPk4y6RXeWIChW1GZzpr4e3TXfu8wvABRDxGI+sXNHPQGNEKtYZ2EbVDH4B8D+NYAF8PZ8kI+J4HFnpOl2xMEYzWBLN3Gvj/M6Ai8HXF8WIkUfrgyXF7HsRFRFLV0x9JoHJ4TcG85TH1/MpccTIzLLhLpHTM2M4MyV1g7wyqKpyuTbAZqAT4PV6khpjZHUnu+F3rIj48csKXfdz/pcBx/P1EjXGsE2Sip5spK4AksjuOpf0l1iz1Ij7ERDgeL/forIKYNdDKCbAJWVtm6JTz18AMJ1zA/h8PpJsiIoYY4weyKt6J0C7qHvsinuSOEWap6CFhHEc2RNTEXEc4/sYcRxxfOubEkhMBuK1zpaL2k7dkVZH3eOJIEdmScqszMojM/PIPI5j6g7ArrL2XjHrr3yqtFvSbHczegNci7bKmZWZR1Zk6sh11JNB83GTcm4XrfayRuzEAMBBEtAcVT4x8shDSbHvyLX2gtkMp01dq69iTcKJsQHWXsVbJ8iqyMypfFgs9SpVXhgboDbActMu1SGFSDJaNQO15api1vQSKC+juowLgPf8aQDufgNzdJVKolqOrdUySpIwQItNcmJ4zaY93QprnVkLTjNoAM0GgnOqVFWxVskQJL3ub/vP2J7C9bs3AE0GK9BcBo2yZZeLFgyVQZgmynPvaGFqLZjXWcIedEPSqj2d+1bb4bae7NVkybBd4zU9sHDnvkQDYw0frl3jspucSxZseNl0w98eum6p3unhL+rk/0US0Ck6AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC)

This blog post, from the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, celebrates the unsung work of African American birth workers, including doulas and midwives.](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/health-info/the-historical-significance-of-black-doulas-and-midwives)

[ResourcesRead

## Black Midwives Through Time

This timeline, developed by Black midwife Shafia Monroe, provides a brief overview of the long history of Black midwives, from the Biblical Shiphrah and Puah in approximately 1500 BCE.

![nurse-marguerite-white-gives-demonstration-in-postnatal-care-at-mothers-club-e87d9f-1024](data:image/png;base64,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)

This timeline, developed by Black midwife Shafia Monroe, provides a brief overview of the long history of Black midwives, from the Biblical Shiphrah and Puah in approximately 1500 BCE.](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/health-info/black-midwives-through-time)

[ResourcesRead

## Lessons from Black Midwives

Six Black midwives share their insights and experiences in the face of today's worsening maternal and infant mortality rates.

![AdobeStock_404215824](data:image/png;base64,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)

Six Black midwives share their insights and experiences in the face of today's worsening maternal and infant mortality rates.](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/health-info/lessons-from-black-midwives)

[ResourcesLook

## A Brief History of Periods/Vagina Museum Period Exhibition Print

Illustrator Hazel Mead created A Brief History of Periods to teach about menstruation throughout history.

![A Brief History of Periods:Vagina Museum Period Exhibition Print](data:image/png;base64,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)

Illustrator Hazel Mead created A Brief History of Periods to teach about menstruation throughout history.](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/health-info/a-brief-history-of-periods-vagina-museum-period-exhibition-print)

[ResourcesRead

## A National Paid Leave Program Would Help Workers, Families

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities examines the benefits that would result from a national paid parental leave program.

![22 A National Paid Leave Program Would Help Workers Families 22 scaled jpeg](data:image/png;base64,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)

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities examines the benefits that would result from a national paid parental leave program.](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/health-info/a-national-paid-leave-program-would-help-workers-families)

[ResourcesRead

## Abortion Laws by State: Interactive Map

This interactive map tracks abortion bans, restrictions, and protections, updated in real time.

![maps-g5746cabe4_1280](data:image/png;base64,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)

This interactive map tracks abortion bans, restrictions, and protections, updated in real time.](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/health-info/abortion-laws-interactive-state-map)

[ResourcesRead

## Aging & Inequity

Economic insecurity and inequity magnify over time for many women, especially marginalized women. What policies could address this problem?

![mehmet-turgut-kirkgoz-11890772](data:image/png;base64,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)

Economic insecurity and inequity magnify over time for many women, especially marginalized women. What policies could address this problem?](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/health-info/aging-and-inequity)