midwifery
noun
mid·wife·ry
ˌmid-ˈwi-f(ə-)rē 
-ˈwī-
-ˈwī-
ˈmid-ˌwī-
1
: the art or act of assisting at childbirth
also
: obstetrics
2
: the art, act, or process of producing, bringing forth, or bringing about
Examples of midwifery in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The program places a special emphasis on midwifery and emergency pregnancy care, often enabling patients to remain close to home instead of be transferred to a distant hospital.
—
Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Dec. 2023
My mother at the age of 72, went to the Peace Corps and did two years of teaching midwifery in Uganda.
—USA TODAY, 29 Feb. 2024
Oula is a maternity care clinic with a focus on midwifery alongside obstetric care.
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 20 Feb. 2024
Martha Ballard – smart, industrious, and widely respected for her remarkable midwifery record – has been married to Ephraim for 35 years.
—By Various Book Reviewers, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Feb. 2024
For providers, the CDC recommends hiring and retaining a diverse workforce, providing training on unconscious bias and stigma, and supporting doulas and midwifery models of care.
—Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 22 Aug. 2023
One midwifery group was able to get more than a third of its patients to stop smoking between their first visit and giving birth.
—Duaa Eldeib, ProPublica, 10 Jan. 2024
Parker’s two-year midwifery license was due to expire in October.
—Amy Brittain, Washington Post, 26 Dec. 2023
Their decisions would reflect the patchwork landscape of midwifery laws.
—Amy Brittain, Washington Post, 14 Nov. 2023
Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Dec. 2023
My mother at the age of 72, went to the Peace Corps and did two years of teaching midwifery in Uganda.
—USA TODAY, 29 Feb. 2024
Oula is a maternity care clinic with a focus on midwifery alongside obstetric care.
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 20 Feb. 2024
Martha Ballard – smart, industrious, and widely respected for her remarkable midwifery record – has been married to Ephraim for 35 years.
—By Various Book Reviewers, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Feb. 2024
For providers, the CDC recommends hiring and retaining a diverse workforce, providing training on unconscious bias and stigma, and supporting doulas and midwifery models of care.
—Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 22 Aug. 2023
One midwifery group was able to get more than a third of its patients to stop smoking between their first visit and giving birth.
—Duaa Eldeib, ProPublica, 10 Jan. 2024
Parker’s two-year midwifery license was due to expire in October.
—Amy Brittain, Washington Post, 26 Dec. 2023
Their decisions would reflect the patchwork landscape of midwifery laws.
—Amy Brittain, Washington Post, 14 Nov. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'midwifery.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of midwifery was
in the 15th century
Dictionary Entries Near midwifery
Cite this Entry
“Midwifery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/midwifery. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
midwifery
noun
mid·wife·ry
ˌmid-ˈwif-(ə-)rē
-ˈwīf-
-ˈwīf-
ˈmid-ˌwīf-
: the art or act of assisting at childbirth
also
: obstetrics
Medical Definition
midwifery
noun
mid·wife·ry
ˌmid-ˈwif-(ə-)rē
-ˈwīf-; ˈmid-ˌwīf-
-ˈwīf-; ˈmid-ˌwīf-
plural midwiferies
: the art or act of assisting at childbirth
also
: obstetrics see nurse-midwifery
More from Merriam-Webster on midwifery
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about midwifery
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