For centuries millions of women have had reason to thank midwives for their vital role on one of the most important days of their life.
But now it seems they might have been, ahem, labouring under a misapprehension.
For apparently the word midwife ‘upholds the patriarchy’ and its use ‘subordinates all who give birth’.
This is according to researchers who claim the title is not inclusive of transgender mothers and should be renamed as ‘lead perinatal practitioner’.
A fellow of the Royal College of Midwives has written a paper to be treated as a ‘blueprint’ for the role to become more gender-neutral.
The research, titled From Midwife To Lead Perinatal Practitioner: A Utopian Vision, refers to a ‘birthing person’ or ‘pregnant body’ instead of a woman and argues a name change is needed as ‘trans and non-binary people increasingly require access to midwifery services’.
It adds: ‘The presence of gender-diverse people accessing “maternity” services disrupts such norms, because it forces us to confront how words like “midwife,” “midwifery,” and “maternity” are excluding, for example, of trans and non-binary people.
A move away from the title of “Midwife” to “Lead Perinatal Practitioner” would be trailblazing in reducing inequalities through the deconstruction of harmful patriarchal constructs and decolonisation.’
Researchers have called for midwives to be renamed as ‘lead perinatal practitioners’ in order to be more inclusive of transgender mothers (file photo)
Critics have pointed out the title ‘midwife’ is globally recognisable and say changing it could be damaging (file photo)
Dr Sally Pezaro, a fellow of the Royal College of Midwives and Nursing and Midwifery Council panel member, and Dr John Pendleton, a midwife and lecturer in midwifery at the University of Northampton, wrote the paper.
But critics point out that the title is recognisable to women globally and warn changing it could be damaging.
Anna Melamed, midwifery lecturer at the University of the West of England, said: ‘It is women as a sex category who are pregnant and give birth, regardless of how they identify… Midwives are one of the few professions who proudly and clearly stand by and on the side of the woman.’
Helen Joyce, of human rights charity Sex Matters, added: ‘Maternity services are under enough pressure without ideological nonsense being foisted on them.’
Dr Pezaro declined to comment and Dr Pendleton did not respond to a request for comment.
