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How were many midwives considered qualified before formal training programs existed?
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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).
Prior to the establishment of formal training programs, midwives were often considered qualified simply because they had borne children themselves.1
Beyond this personal experience, many midwives gained their skills through the following methods:
- Apprenticeship: Many individuals learned the trade by working under the guidance of an experienced midwife or physician.1
- Community Recruitment: In many instances, women were recruited by neighbors or family members to assist during labor, relying on their practical experience and local knowledge.1
- Specialized Knowledge: Some midwives possessed extensive, informal knowledge of herbal remedies and provided various medical services to their communities, which contributed to their perceived qualifications.1
While some regions eventually introduced licensing laws—such as those in 17th-century London where midwives were licensed by the Church of England—midwifery practice remained largely unregulated in many parts of the world, often operating through private, informal transactions between the midwife and the childbearing family.1