---

• n  a woman skilled in aiding the delivery of babies

• Midwifery may not be the world's oldest profession, but it is described in the earliest books of the New Testament.
• Most planned home births are assisted by a midwife, although some extremists favor so-called free birthing, with no attendant.
• Some Texans were denied passports to cross the border when their birth certificates were ruled invalid because they were born by midwife.

• accoucheuse

News & Articles

---

• Unlicensed Midwife Faces Negligent Homicide Charges
  (KUTV) An unlicensed midwife faces negligent homicide charges in connection to the death of a newborn. 71-year-old Valerie Elhalta supervised the vaginal birth of the baby, to a mother who had three previous C-section deliveries. Prosecutors say Elhalta gave the mother prescription drugs during delivery, even though her certification was revoked years earlier. ...
  June 21, 2013 - KUTV Salt Lake City
• Unlicensed midwife charged in 2012 death of Moab newborn
  A 71-year-old midwife, who had had her certification revoked years earlier, was charged with negligent homicide
  June 19, 2013 - Deseret News
• Unlicensed Utah midwife charged in newborn’s death
  Unlicensed Utah midwife charged in newborn’s death by Michael Mcfall The Salt Lake Tribune Published Jun 19, 2013 03:16PM MDT An unlicensed midwife has been charged in the August death of a newborn boy from Moab. Valerie El Halta, 71, of Eagle Mountain, was charged on Tuesday in 7th District Court with unlawful conduct, a felony for which she could serve up to five years in prison. She was also ...
  June 19, 2013 - The Salt Lake Tribune

Quotes

---

• the Cheeky Girls in Halifax Evening Courier
  I felt the most awful cramps in my stomach,Gabriela told the newspaper. "I never experienced that much pain in my life. It was agony and I didn't know what to do. I wanted to call my mum Margit because she used to be a midwife back in...
• Diane Farr in People Magazine
  I'm so thankful that my midwife and doctor paid such wonderful attention to me and the little ladies,said Farr, 38. "And I'm really glad that I got to 36 weeks with multiples."
• Frederica Sagor Maas in San Diego Union Tribune
  I was born in a cold water railroad flat on 101st Street near Madison Avenue on July 6, 1900,Maas wrote. "My mother was her own midwife with the help of my oldest sister, Vera, who was then 17. It was early afternoon. Papa was, of course,...