Midwifery is one of the oldest female occupations of all (Professions, women’s). The term “midwife” dates from the 14th century, and consists of the Middle English mid, “with,” and wyf, “woman”, that is, the “woman who is with [the mother]” (cf. Latin obstetrix, literally “woman who stands over [the mother]”; German Hebamme, from Old High German hev(i)anna, “old woman who lifts [the newborn child from the floor]"; regionally also Höbmutter, Hebemutter). English …