Overview

Obstetrics, the medical specialty of caring for women and their babies during childbirth, arose in the mid-eighteenth century. Ordinarily, women in childbirth were attended by other women—mostly relatives, friends, or neighbors who offered support and practical aid. In addition, a midwife ( meaning "with woman") was often employed to bring skilled assistance and the assurance of someone who had attended many births. The nearest surgeon was summoned only in the midst of dire complications. By 1750, physicians and surgeons sought opportunities to attend births and incorporate pregnancy and childbirth into the medical forum. Almost universally male, these man-midwives gained acceptance throughout the latter half of the eighteenth century. The increasing status of surgeons, advances in technology such as the invention of the obstetrical forceps, and the growing number of institutes and universities dedicated to medical knowledge and training of physicians enabled the...