This is a brief summary of the history of midwifery and beginnings of nurse-midwifery in the United States.Though the statistics are a bit dated, the article also has some recent data on the positive impact of the recent resurgence of midwifery practice since it began declining in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It also discusses the profession of nurse-midwifery's close ties with public health and under served communities.
ABSTRACT: Today, neonatal nurse practitioners (NNPs) practice in a variety of settings. Tertiary and secondary nurseries are still the largest employer of NNPs. Follow-up clinics and home care agencies employ NNPs as well. In each of these arenas a performance evaluation is necessary.
J Midwifery Womens Health. 2003 Mar-Apr;48(2):86-95. Historical Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
This article looks at the early history of nurse-midwifery in the US and the social and political changes that aided its expansion in the 1940s.