Vicissitudes of Japanese Midwives in the 20th Century Through a Life Story of a Former Independent Midwife Practitioner in Kyoto

摘要

[Background] After the Second World War, birthing in Japan shifted from "at home by midwives" to "in hospitals/clinics by obstetricians". Although independent midwife practitioners had conducted most deliveries at home before the shift, 85.7% of the midwives in practice in 2004 were working for hospitals and clinics. [Purpose] To explore the history of Japanese midwives in the last century, especially the background of the postwar decline of midwife practitioners. [Methods] Non-structured individual interview with a former independent midwife practitioner currently living in Kyoto, Japan. [Findings] During the first postwar baby boom busy practicing midwives were not aware of the nursing reforms that directly affected midwifery practice and education, and they failed to develop their successors. In addition, family planning, which was promoted by midwives after the war, had ironically generated a preference for smaller family size and safer delivery at medical institutions. This resulted in a drop in the number of clients for independent midwives and accelerated the medicalization and institutionalization of childbirth. Even with the declining birth rate, current society still needs midwives, and the postwar experiences should alert today's midwives to be sensitive to relevant issues that influence their future.