Changes

==Origin==

==Origin==

The term ''midwife'' is derived from [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._1100-1500_.09THE_MIDDLE_ENGLISH_PERIOD Middle English]: ''midwyf'', literally "with-woman", i.e. "the woman with (the [[mother]] at [[birth]]), the woman assisting" (in Middle English and [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._600-1100.09THE_OLD_ENGLISH.2C_OR_ANGLO-SAXON_PERIOD Old English], ''mid'' = "with", ''wīf'' = "woman").

The term ''midwife'' is derived from [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._1100-1500_.09THE_MIDDLE_ENGLISH_PERIOD Middle English]: ''midwyf'', literally "with-woman", i.e. "the woman with (the [[mother]] at [[birth]]), the woman assisting" (in Middle English and [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=English#ca._600-1100.09THE_OLD_ENGLISH.2C_OR_ANGLO-SAXON_PERIOD Old English], ''mid'' = "with", ''wīf'' = "woman").

*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/15th_century 15th Century]

*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/15th_century 15th Century]

==Definitions==

==Definitions==

*1: the art or [[act]] of assisting at child[[birth]]; also : obstetrics

*1: the art or [[act]] of assisting at child[[birth]]; also : obstetrics

*2: the art, act, or [[process]] of producing, bringing forth, or bringing about  

*2: the art, act, or [[process]] of producing, bringing forth, or bringing about  

According to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Confederation_of_Midwives International Confederation of Midwives] (a [[definition]] that has also been adopted by the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Health_Organization World Health Organization] and the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Federation_of_Gynecology_and_Obstetrics International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics]):

According to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Confederation_of_Midwives International Confederation of Midwives] (a [[definition]] that has also been adopted by the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Health_Organization World Health Organization] and the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Federation_of_Gynecology_and_Obstetrics International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics]):

A ''midwife'' is a person who, having been regularly admitted to a midwifery [[educational]] program that is duly [[recognized]] in the country in which it is located, has successfully completed the prescribed [[course]] of [[studies]] in midwifery and has acquired the requisite qualifications to be registered and/or legally [[licensed]] to [[practice]] midwifery.

A ''midwife'' is a person who, having been regularly admitted to a midwifery [[educational]] program that is duly [[recognized]] in the country in which it is located, has successfully completed the prescribed [[course]] of [[studies]] in midwifery and has acquired the requisite qualifications to be registered and/or legally [[licensed]] to [[practice]] midwifery.

==Description==

==Description==

'''Midwifery''' is a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care health care] [[profession]] in which providers offer [[care]] to childbearing [[women]] during [[pregnancy]], labour and [[birth]], and during the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postpartum postpartum] period. They also help care for the newborn and assist the [[mother]] with breastfeeding.

'''Midwifery''' is a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care health care] [[profession]] in which providers offer [[care]] to childbearing [[women]] during [[pregnancy]], labour and [[birth]], and during the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postpartum postpartum] period. They also help care for the newborn and assist the [[mother]] with breastfeeding.

A practitioner of midwifery is known as a ''midwife'', a term used in reference to both women and men, although the [[majority]] of midwives are female. In addition to providing care to women during pregnancy and [[birth]], many midwives also provide [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_care primary care] to [[women]], well-woman care related to reproductive health, annual [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gynecology gynecological] exams, family planning, and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menopausal menopausal] care.

A practitioner of midwifery is known as a ''midwife'', a term used in reference to both women and men, although the [[majority]] of midwives are female. In addition to providing care to women during pregnancy and [[birth]], many midwives also provide [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_care primary care] to [[women]], well-woman care related to reproductive health, annual [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gynecology gynecological] exams, family planning, and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menopausal menopausal] care.

In the term midwife, the morpheme -wife is pronounced as expected, but midwifery is normally pronounced /mɪdˈwɪfᵊri/ (mid-WIF-(ə)ree).

In the term midwife, the morpheme -wife is pronounced as expected, but midwifery is normally pronounced /mɪdˈwɪfᵊri/ (mid-WIF-(ə)ree).

Midwives refer women to general [[practitioners]] or obstetricians when a pregnant woman requires care beyond the midwives' area of expertise. In many parts of [[the world]], these professions work together to provide care to childbearing women. In others, only the midwife is available to provide [[care]]. Midwives are trained to handle certain more [[difficult]] deliveries, including breech births, twin births and births where the baby is in a posterior position, using non-invasive [[techniques]].

Midwives refer women to general [[practitioners]] or obstetricians when a pregnant woman requires care beyond the midwives' area of expertise. In many parts of [[the world]], these professions work together to provide care to childbearing women. In others, only the midwife is available to provide [[care]]. Midwives are trained to handle certain more [[difficult]] deliveries, including breech births, twin births and births where the baby is in a posterior position, using non-invasive [[techniques]].

For low risk [[births]], compared with obstetricians, midwives offer lower maternity care cost, lower [[intervention]] rates, reduced [[mortality]] and morbidity as a result of fewer interventions, and fewer recovery complications.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midwifery#Etymology]

For low risk [[births]], compared with obstetricians, midwives offer lower maternity care cost, lower [[intervention]] rates, reduced [[mortality]] and morbidity as a result of fewer interventions, and fewer recovery complications.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midwifery#Etymology]

[[Category: Health]]

[[Category: Health]]