著者

吉田 佳代

出版者

熊本大学

雑誌

熊本大学社会文化研究

巻号頁・発行日

vol.12, pp.211-227, 2014-03-25

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The origin of midwives dates back to women who helped with childbirth. These women, who had acquired experience and trust in childbirth, gradually evolved into midwives as professionals. Some physicians in the Edo period provided education for women involved in midwifery, and this was the start of midwives as specialists. Following the Meiji Restoration, physicians who had returned from Germany trained midwives. During the Meiji period, there was progress in the establishment of laws and regulations on midwifery. At that time, the laws did not clearly define the work procedures that midwives should conduct, and they demanded legislation based on the bill proposed by them, although it was not legislated. Following World War II, the provisions on the expertise of midwives were included in the Act on Public Health Nurses, Midwives, and Nurses. The Japanese Nursing Association did not understand the expertise of midwives, and attempted to incorporate it into that of nurses several times. However, midwives established their own organization and developed behavioral standards to promote respect for their specialty.