Midwife --> Obstetrics
I wonder if this substitution doesn't reflect a change in the position of the mother during birth from squatting to lying prostrate, as well as the associated change in the gender of her assistant. Midwives are certainly almost always women, while obstetricians have traditionally been men. Here, the personal experience may be a factor since (as I am told), squatting is easier for the mother and lying is easier for her assistant.
Even though obstetrics has been rather resistant to midwifery until fairly recently..
Obstetrics has largely remained resistant to midwifery, but it has been the insurance industry that has lately brought it again near extinction.
..it was not necessary and a man could be a midwife.
I have been charmed by the presence of many midwives coming through my life, in recent years. In Chicago, one group of them reports having had one man in their class. Although licensed along with the women, however, he was unable to get a single client.
