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How did women help bring midwifery back to Western countries during the 20th century?

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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*).

Beginning in the mid-20th century, women in many Western countries acted as consumers of health care to help bring midwifery back from obscurity. They drove this resurgence by demanding greater control over their birth experiences, specifically seeking more options for unmedicated births and the ability to deliver outside of hospital settings.1

The process of reintroducing midwifery as an independent profession varied by region:

Canada: Nurse-midwives and direct-entry midwives collaborated with consumers to re-establish the profession.1
Britain: There was a notable resurgence in applicants to direct-entry training programs.1
Australia: Direct-entry training programs were introduced for the first time since the inception of midwifery licensure.1

These efforts were supported by a growing interest in natural childbirth, which emphasized the mother's active participation and informed decision-making during labor. By advocating for these alternatives, women successfully challenged the prevailing medical model and helped restore midwifery as a viable option for care in hospitals, birth centres, and homes.231