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How did maternity hospitals contribute to the development of formal midwife training in Europe?

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Midwives assisting a birth while astrologers consult sky charts; woodcut relief print from Jakob Rueff's De conceptu et generatione hominis (1554; The Expert Midwife). — midwifery Midwives assisting a birth while astrologers consult sky charts; woodcut relief print from Jakob Rueff's *De conceptu et generatione hominis* (1554; *The Expert Midwife*).

The development of formal midwife training in Europe was closely linked to the emergence of maternity, or lying-in, hospitals during the 17th century.1

Prior to this period, midwifery was largely an informal practice, with many midwives relying on their own experience as mothers or through apprenticeship with other practitioners. The establishment of maternity hospitals provided a structured environment that facilitated the creation of the earliest formal training programs, which first appeared in the Netherlands—most notably in Amsterdam—followed by similar initiatives in Sweden, France, and Scotland.1

These institutional programs helped transition midwifery from a community-based, unregulated occupation toward a more standardized profession. By providing a centralized setting for education, these hospitals allowed for the systematic instruction of midwives, which eventually contributed to the implementation of licensing laws in various European nations during the 19th and 20th centuries. This formalization was essential in establishing midwifery as a recognized and regulated component of health care delivery.12