For most of human history, the midwife has been the primary, and is most cases, only, attendant available to birthing women. Over the past 25 years, the women's health movement has begun to define birth as a natural process and to advocate for more control over the process by women. They have questioned whether medically managed, hospital based birth is the most appropriate option for all women, and have advocated for more choices in both place of birth and birth attendant. Midwifery care bridges the gap between these two divergent philosophies of childbearing, one in which pregnancy and birth are viewed as medical events, requiring expert management and control by physicians, and another in which birth is considered to be a social event, a part of ordinary life experience.
Midwives are highly trained specialists in the care of normal pregnancy and birth.
They work in partnership with mothers and families to offer comprehensive health based on respect for pregnancy as a state of health and childbirth as a normal healthy process. They practice as part of a health care team and refer clients to other practitioners should problems arise or more specialized care be required. Midwifery care has been demonstrated to improve birth outcomes and reduce the number of premature and low-birthweight babies Midwifery education and practice uphold the natural processes of pregnancy and birth and train practitioners to detect pathology early. Midwives practice in collaboration and consultation with medical specialists and hospitals and refer clients when necessary. Midwifery is a legitimate and recognized component of a primary health care system.