A History of Ontario Midwifery

The origins of midwifery are part of the history of settling the country. Early midwifery was informal and part of neighbourhood economies. By the latter part of the nineteenth century midwives had disappeared from most parts of Canada. The re-emergence ofmidwives in Ontario in the past 25 years was part of a larger social movement that was critical of maternity care. The recent history of midwifery is one of rapid change, marked by the inclusion ofmidwives as regulated health professionals since 1994. Expected future changes will create challenges, but compared with their earlier history, midwives are now better able to sustain and develop their profession.