What is a midwife?
Midwife is derived from mid meaning with, and wif for woman. Traditionally, nurse midwives are with woman during childbirth. This was usually a village matron, experienced and knowledgeable, who helped the woman during her birthing, and had special knowledge of women’s issues.
It is fascinating to note the origin of terms in other languages and cultures. The French sage femme translates to wise or good woman. The Danish call her jordmoder or earth mother. The Islandic term is ljosmodir for mother of light. Coincidentally, obstetrix is the Latin term for midwife, from which the historically recent obstetrics is derived.
Today’s modern certified nurse midwife (CNM) is with woman across a lifetime. The midwife provides independent management of women’s health care, focusing on common primary care issues, family planning and gynecologic needs of women, pregnancy, childbirth, the postpartum period and the care of the newborn.
