The developments and trends in relation to men practising midwifery: a review of the literature

The literature shows that throughout history the duties and responsibilities of the female midwife have been eroded and impinged upon by better-educated and better-equipped male medical men. Although several of these early 'men midwives' greatly improved midwifery practice, they tended to commandeer not only the best methods and the kudos but also the most interesting cases. The midwives of the past failed to stop the growth of obstetrics, and their contemporaries through the intercession of the 1951 Midwifery Act attempted to block entry into the profession by male nurses. Prior to the mid 1970s, it was assumed by the leadership of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) that the introduction of male midwives would be unpopular not only with the expectant mothers but also with their husbands. Subsequent research demonstrated that this was not necessarily the case. Rather it was female midwives themselves who did not welcome the invasion of male practitioners into their domain. A review of the research literature suggests that the fears expressed by the RCM were unfounded and, by the late 1970s through to the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Sex Discrimination Act and several political machinations, male nurses were undertaking midwifery training.