Widening Access: Is There Space for Men in Midwifery?

Abstract

Historically, midwifery has been a female-dominated profession,1 and there is ongoing debate about whether men should be allowed into birthing spaces, and whether male midwives are what birthing people and families want. However, ‘midwife’ as a professional title means ‘with woman’ rather than ‘women with woman’,2 therefore, we should examine whether men experience gender discrimination when studying to become midwives or working in midwifery settings. Sam Todd and student midwife Usaama Ssewankambo discuss what inspired them to become midwives and strategies to make midwifery a more accessible career option for men.