Who is Meryt from The Red Tent and what is their importance?

Meryt is the midwife who helps with Dinah's delivery. Dinah instructs Meryt to cut her in order to ease the delivery of the baby. After the baby's birth, she continues to check up on Dinah every day. As a result, the two forge a friendship. Meryt is a skilled midwife, but she wants to learn more from Dinah. The two go onto become great friends and move to the Valley of the Kings together to live with Meryt's son. Dinah is with Meryt when she dies a happy old age.