midwifery

[mid´wif-re, mid´wi-fer-e]

the practice of assisting at childbirth.

mid·wife·ry

(mid-wif'ĕ-rē),

Independent care of essentially normal, healthy women and infants by a midwife, prepartally, intrapartally, postpartally, and/or obstetrically in a hospital, birth center, or home setting, and including normal delivery of the infant, with medical consultation, collaborative management, and referral of cases in which abnormalities develop; strong emphasis is placed on educational preparation of parents for child-bearing and child-rearing, with an orientation toward childbirth as a normal physiologic process requiring minimal intervention.

Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

midwifery

The health profession which provides care to childbearing women during pregnancy, labour and delivery, after childbirth and with breastfeeding.

mid·wife·ry

(mid-wif'ĕ-rē)

Independent care of essentially normal, healthy women and infants by a midwife, antepartally, intrapartally, postpartally, or obstetrically in a hospital, birth center, or home setting, and including normal delivery of the infant, with medical consultation, collaborative management, and referral of cases in which abnormalities develop; strong emphasis is placed on educational preparation of parents for child-bearing and child-rearing, with an orientation toward childbirth as a normal physiologic process requiring minimal intervention.
See also: doula

midwifery

The nursing speciality concerned with the conduct of antenatal care, labour and childbirth. Midwifery differs from OBSTETRICS to the extent that it is concerned primarily with the normal. Complications and undue difficulties are managed or supervised by doctors specializing in obstetrics.