ABSTRACT
The history of British practice of midwifery in past centuries shows that parturient women have more usually been cared for by women than by surgeons or physicians. In 1902, the Midwives Act was passed through Parliament "An Act to secure the better training of midwives and to regulate their practice". An amending Midwives Act was enacted in 1918. The Act empowered local supervising authorities to aid in training midwives, and to make grants for this purpose. A candidate before sitting for a certificate in midwifery is required to have undergone a course of training in midwifery extending over a period of not less than 12 months. In the case of a nurse who has been certified by the General Nursing Council for England and Wales as fully trained, the period of midwifery training is reduced to six months.
