There have been midwives since the beginning of time. As I have learned in my reading, the early women in the church would attend one another, blessing the new mother with health and strength, washing her, anointing her, and preparing her for this moment of birth and creation. This has always been a holy time for women; a time when women communed with God.

In an article, found in the Relief Society Magazine, it points out some interesting facts about midwives, their practices, the history behind some of the philosophies of the time, and some of the more well-known midwives of the pioneer era.

In Leviticus Chapter 12, Moses lays out the law for women who have just given birth. It is not a law against sin, but of cleanliness. From the magazine article, it states,

“The wonderfully strict regulations which are recorded by Moses in Leviticus, convince us that he provided inspired hygienic laws for the midwives among his people. The remnants of these traditionary laws, habits, and customs are found today amongst the Orientals and the Indians who were upon this continent and who are the children of Israel.”

Midwives have always attended births. But in 1663, one of King Louis’s mistresses demanded the royal physician attend her instead. After this, the study of obstetrics was gradually taken over by men. As it became a more technical occupation, women were forced to bow out because of a lack of training. For example, in France, women were forbidden to use instruments. In Germany, women could only practice in certain areas of the country, legally. In England, there were no such laws, and as a result, many of the early pioneer women had been trained in their native land and were prepared to help women give birth along the trail. This interest became stronger as the Salt Lake Valley settled in, and a need for trained medical personnel became vital and women felt they were more capable, concerned, and careful than the men.

The most well-known midwife of all of the early women was Zina D. Young. “Aunt” Zina was beloved by all. She generally took no money for her services, but stayed long after she was needed, checking, comforting, cleaning, and loving each of the new mothers and their infants. She assisted most of the new mothers in the Lion House.

“She went about, night and day, never sparing herself, delivering women, nursing the sick, robing the dead for their last resting place, and almost to the last years of her long life she was ready to administer the healing ordinance used by our sisters, both within and without the Temple.”

Prescendia L. Kimball was Zina’s older sister; another much-beloved midwife.

“Aunt” Patty Sessions was certainly well known. She delivered over one thousand women and was set apart in Nauvoo, along with other midwives, by the Prophet Joseph Smith himself to do this work.

The article mentions a woman so well known it doesn’t even mention her complete name, other than “Grandma Hardie”. Born in Scotland, in 1810, she married John Hardie and bore him nine children. She studied and practiced medicine in Edinburgh under Sir James Y. Simpson (the famous physician who began the use of ether). At one time she was asked to be the “wet” nurse to the Queen’s children, but because she was nursing her own babe, she refused. She joined the Mormon Church after her husband died and came across the plains. She continued practicing and was much loved by the women in the valley.

“Mormon” women physicians were commended in this same article. Mrs. Romania B. Penrose was born in Indiana. Her parents moved the family to Nauvoo when she was a young girl, but after the martyrdom, they moved back to Ohio. Eventually, the family rejoined the saints and traveled to the Salt Lake Valley. Romania taught school and piano lessons until she entered the medical profession. She graduated, with honors, from the Woman’s Medical College in Philadelphia and returned to the valley. It was her insistence of building a hospital for women and children that Deseret Hospital was started.

Dr. Ellis Reynolds Shipp also attended school in Philadelphia, graduating with honors after the three-year course. She too taught courses and trained future nurses, midwives, and doctors. She was a notable poet, beloved by the women.

Dr. Margaret C. Roberts started the first Relief Society Nurse Class in 1898, in the Salt Lake Stake. The General Board of the Relief Society called her to train hundreds of nurses and midwives.

One of the most well known female doctors was Dr. Mattie Hughes Cannon. While she attended school part-time and worked part-time, she earned her own way, to attend the University of Michigan. She graduated from that school after two years of study with an M.D. She became the resident physician of the Deseret Hospital while conducting a large, private practice. Dr. Cannon later became the first woman state senator in the United States (1897-1899).  She secured the passage of many bills relating to health and sanitation.

We owe these women much as we recognize their valued contribution to our heritage as women Saints.

Information is taken from Relief Society Magazine, August 1915, “Ye Ancient and Honorable Order of Midwifery”.